The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) announced it was on
its way to completing the UN-MILF action plan to get it delisted as a group
that uses child combatants.
International human rights standards define a child soldier
or combatant as an individual who is below 18 years old.
The announcement came in time for the launching Monday of
the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign in Cotabato City
The campaign is a series of public events to be run by the
MILF, in coordination with the UNICEF for the next four months, in their base
commands to signal their commitment to stop using children in combat.
Edward Guerra, chairman of the five-member panel of UN-MILF
action plan said, sanctions will be meted to ground commanders who will violate
the order to desist from using children in war.
“As to the implementation, we were almost halfway. We have
the checklist and we will not go astray as long as we follow the roadmap,”
Guerra said.
The MILF, along with other the Abu Sayyaf, New People’s Army
and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, was included in the UN list of armed
groups using child soldiers.
Last year, the start of the program, UNICEF country
representative Lotta Sylwander said the MILF was the only non-state armed group
in the world attempting to be removed from the list of groups using children as
combatants.
“What we want from the children in Mindanao
is to have a happy, healthy and peaceful childhood. We don’t want children to
be fighting, carrying guns or used as spies but rather learning and playing,”
said Rebecca Pankhurst, UNICEF’s chief field officer.
Wilma Madato, a Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade
member, called the action plan a way forward to the future of their children.
http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2015/05/18/milf-close-to-removal-from-un-list-of-groups-using-child-soldiers/
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