These days, stories of frustrated and destitute parents taking the lives of their young children and themselves are making headlines with an almost frightening frequency. Sadly, yet mistakenly, some of these parents actually believe that their premature and abrupt taking of the young and tender lives is in the best interests of their children and done out of love. They could not be more wrong. This is child abuse of the worst kind. Yet, one cannot help but worry that, with the economy rapidly deteriorating and unemployment surging, a new wave of "benign child killing" may be underway in Taiwan.
Long gone is the glorious era of "DINK" families (double income, no kids) of the 1990s. The era of "DUWK," (double unemployed, with kids) has officially arrived. The term "DUWK" of course is used nowadays to described families with kids and both parents unemployed.
"DUWK" is not the worst possible scenario, however. "DUWK" is often only the precursor to the break-up of marriages, as the inability to make ends meet tends to destroy marriages. After one parent leaves, the parent who is left with the children is the most susceptible to thoughts of ending all the suffering by committing suicide. Unfortunately, many of them decide to take their children along, sometimes in retaliation aimed at the departed mate, but more often because they don't have the "heart" to leave their beloved children behind.
Just this week, a father was charged with murder for drowning his two-year-old son after he tried to kill both himself and his son by jumping into a river while holding the little boy in his arms. Reportedly, he had also tried to force his two older daughters to jump into the river with him, but they refused. Of course, they refused. It is instinctual, even for young children, to seek survival. What right did this father have to play God and decide the life and death of his children?
Reportedly, the father has failed to show any remorse for his conduct.
The prosecution is seeking an 18-year sentence against the father in the above case. Why not a life sentence? Hasn't another man just been sentenced to life for abuse which led to the death of his girlfriend? Irrespective of what the underlying motive may be, whether out of rage, love or retaliation, a killing is a killing.
The core of the problem is that Asian parents are traditionally more inclined to see children as appendages of themselves or as assets, rather than as individuals entitled to rights and respect in their own right. To some of them, therefore, children may be used as an instrument of revenge for betrayal by one's spouse, or a punching bag to help them vent their anger.
Of course, there are also those who believe that "children need their [father or mother], and since I don't want to live, it is in their best interests that I take them with me." Doesn't it occur to these people that, in their distress and desperation, they have arrived at a conception of their children's "best interests" that will deprive them of any chance of happiness? What makes them so certain that these children face a future as bleak as their own? Why, in their desperation do they so readily disregard their children's human rights?
The Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) administration has, from its inception, given top priority to the protection of human rights. Much work remains to be done in terms of educating Taiwan society about respect for the human rights of children, however. People need to be taught that each and every child is an individual life, just as entitled to human rights as any adult.
In fact, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child explicitly state that, "The child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity needs special safeguards and care ...." This means that not only are children entitled to rights in their own right, but also that additional and special government efforts are in fact required to ensure their fundamental rights are not infringed.
Article Six of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child goes on to state that children have a right to life. By taking the lives of their children, along with their own, parents violate this sacred and most fundamental right of their children.
Article 18 of the convention states that parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child with the best interests of the child at heart. Surely, killing the child, even out of love, is in no way in the best interest of the child. In fact, the parents' real responsibility is to ensure that their children are brought up with appropriate care and in an environment conducive to their sound development. None of these objectives can be accomplished by their death.
The convention further mandates that governments shall offer assistance to parents in their child-rearing. These days, many parents indeed need a special helping hand from the government in this regard. According to statistics from a family assistance center in Taipei, donations to children of low-income, single-parent families have dropped significantly. Reportedly, 30 to 40 percent of regular donors have been unable to continue donating. Corporate donations have declined dramatically as well. As a result, many children of low-income families have been virtually cut off from all sources of income. With private donations dwindling, their last hope rests with the government.
It is time for our government to step in to both educate the public about the rights of children, and provide the badly needed assistance. In fact, if we had better child-adoption and foster-care systems, perhaps parents intending to leave this world would be less inclined to take their children with them, as they could trust that their children would be well looked after.
Turn back the emerging tide of "child killing." It is unacceptable in any form and for any reason, whether "benign" or malicious.
Amy Wood is an attorney licensed to practice in California.
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