Children of the Eco Warriors Not Consulted About Children's Revolution March

Discussions about the kids' march on Saturday were held by about a dozen young children who occupied the top of a World War Two bunker in a small woodland at the Camp for Climate Action on Sunday afternoon.
The Children of the Eco warriors questioned the way that the climate camp meetings had completely ignored them and had not give them the opportunity to make their own decisions for themselves.

An 11 year old girl whose mother had been involved with the Newbury bypass campaign in the 1990's came to visit the Eco Warriors and she said that she and her friends were concerned that all the decisions had been made by grown ups and the children themselves had not been asked what they had wanted to do.
She expressed her concern about the way the kids' march had been organised and the fact that the children had been spread throughout the demonstration and had been unable to stick together with each other.
She said that she wanted to call a meeting of the children on the site to plan what they would be doing next in the future, but her mother said that unfortunately their time had run out and they had to go home instead.
One of the Eco warriors said that a baby in a push chair had been knocked over by a police horse during the march to Kingsnorth power station, and that there were serious concerns about the way that a teenage girl had been assaulted and snatched by the police for no apparent reason.
The impromptu meeting ended with an agreement to keep in touch and to help the Children of the Eco Warriors organise a youth conference and a children's peace festival in the threatened Heathrow villages at some time in the future.

The Earth Aid Environmental Campaign
e-mail: earthaidcampaign@yahoo.co.uk

Comments

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Children are Eco Warriors

10.08.2008 16:19

The organisation should be called the "Children Eco Warriors", instead of "Children of the Eco Warriors"; unless their parents presence and experience is what they relate to rather than there own. A kid coming to the camp is as much an eco-warrior as the next adult!

Nothing personal, just re-raising the issue you made, that children weren't considered to be able to organise themselves and make their own decisions. A concept entrenched in the idea that children are only parents to eco-warriors, instead of eco-warriors themselves.

For example you mentioned one of the kids views, but only in relation to their mother who has been very active in the movement - which should be far from necessary or relevant to say the least. Since when did kids want to be known as their parents child, instead of because of their own involvement anyway?

From a quick overview, I imagine this issue is more complex than the EAEC are aware of. As I said before though, don't take this personally, this info is just from experience rather than a presumption.

teenage rebel

Out of interest?

10.08.2008 16:45

Are you describing the childrens views on their behalf, or just saying what you presume their views are? Thank you for writing the article, I just hope it was from the childs perspective and not an adult who has taken it upon themselves to represent the children, which is the underlying problem that is being discussed.

For starters, 5-10yr olds can use a computer better than most 40-80yrs! Yes it might not be perfect grammer/spelling, but that's where a parent can help, not that it really matters if other children are reading it though.

young child

to the teenage rebel

10.08.2008 17:50

well said!

katy

old schooler

10.08.2008 22:03

even as they protest at those carbon T.-Rexes!

You won't fool the Children of the Revolution

Good points in the first comment

11.08.2008 11:25

And well made! No need for apologies, I think. Also, what about children who come to the camp whose parents are not involved?