First blog by Kemmett for Youth in Peace

Welcome to the first blog in our series: Youth in Peace, written by Kemmett, age 16. 

As a neutral country, Switzerland is not thought of as a country currently actively participating in any wars. Switzerland has a mobilizable army which has international peacekeeping missions and is part of the NATO peace program. It is one of the biggest arms producers per capita in the world. Switzerland ships weapons to countries like Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia and the United Emirates.

Whether there is an attempt to control the final use of the military equipment doesn’t really matter. Once they are shipped out there is no real control over where they end up. That is also an excuse. There can be control but military equipment is a profitable business. This production is a choice. Many neutral countries like Switzerland ARE actively participating in military conflicts today. We supply ammunition for conflict.

Some of my classmates have begun the recruitment for military service. Whether it is a matter of pride, principal or “coolness of being in the army”, I don’t know. That is a problem. I don’t know, and I should know. Most kids my age do not know anything about conflict or military. It is a faraway, foreign concept that no one needs to think about. Everyone should be informed because whether we want to or not, everyone has a part to play.

- Kemmett, 16

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