The Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the United Nations
will jointly launch a program that will protect the children in Moro
communities and prevent them from becoming child warriors.
The launching will be held May 18 here with local and
international representatives in attendance, Edward Guerra, chair of the 5-man
member panel of UN-MILF action plan, said.
Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chair for political affairs said
MILF is in the process of completing the UN-MILF action plan program on the
non-use of children as combatants.
Guerra said panel will strictly implement sanctions if any
of MILF members violate the general order of non-involvement of children as
combatants during armed conflict.
The action plan has six benchmarks to be complied by MILF.
The MILF along with other three rebel groups, Abu Sayyaf
(ASG), New People’s Army (NPA) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)
operating in the country were included in the UN-Secretary General’s list as
organizations using child soldiers.
During last year’s take-off of the program, UNICEF country
representative Lotta Sylwander described it as “very unique move” of MILF as
the only non-state armed group in the world attempting to be delisted from the
list of groups that engaged children as combatants.
On Monday, the United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and MILF will jointly launch “Children, Not Soldiers”
campaign in Cotabato
City
The campaign is a series of public events to be managed by
the MILF, in coordination with the UNICEF for the next four months, in their
base commands to signal their commitment that no child should be recruited or
associated with any future MILF armed endeavor.
“What we want for 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,”
Rebecca Pankhurst, UNICEF’s chief field officer, said.
Wilma Madato, a member of Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxillary
Brigade(BIWAB) member, the action plan is a sure way forward to the future of
their children.
Speaking to reporters, Madato said mothers become fathers
too when their husbands were out. “So we make sure if our husband is not
around, we strive hard to continue the studies of the children”, Madato said.
The MILF is nearing completion a comprehensive peace process
with Manila
Guerra said a UNICEF-MILF campaign is expected to raise the
standards of spreading the message to the Moro fighters, their children and
families in communities across Mindanao .
Armed organizations should comply that no child under the
age of 18 should be engaged in any form of military endeavor.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=762666
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