Plan International, a worldwide organization that champions in advocating the Rights of a Child around the globe, initiates awareness-raising session on the United Nations (UN)- Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Action Plan on Child Associated with Conflict (formerly known as “Child Soldier”) among the local members of MILF in Sarangani Province and General Santos City. The activity was participated by more than 50 local members of the MILF political and military affairs in Sugoda Buayan Province (a province under MILF description that includes Sarangani and Gensan). “This session aims to educate local MILF members that recruiting youth to participate in the armed struggle is a violation of the Child’s Rights,” Ely Salazar, Team Leader of Plan International in Mindanao Operations. The UN says any person below 18 years old is considered a child. Salazar explained that not only allowing the children to participate in military training but using them in the camp as cook, errand boys, in espionage mission or courier are violations of the Child’s Rights since they are exposed to danger with those undertaking.
The MILF had committed to heed to the International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law particularly to the Optional Protocol on the Convention to the Rights of the Child to halt recruitment or use of children in the armed struggle. The UN and MILF inked an “Action Plan Regarding the Issue of Recruitment and Use of Child Soldier in the Armed Conflict in Mindanao” on August 1, 2009 to implement program that will stop recruitment of children in the front’s armed forces and release of persons below 18 that are involved in the training or already on duty. The action plan also includes concrete program that will facilitate the reintegration of the so-called “child soldier” to the society to live a normal life. Under the plan, there will be established Children Protection Unit with in the ranks of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces that will monitor and ensure that children are not involved in military camps.....
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Cooperating and signing agreements with international agencies/NGOs such Plan International or Geneva Call, for example, demonstrates the willingness of the MILF to abide by international norms and thereby enhances the legitimacy of the MILF as an organization worthy of governing the Bangsamoro. These kinds of agreements/activities help the MILF differentiate itself from other insurgent/terrorist organizations operating in the Philippines (the Abu Sayyaf, CPP/NPA, and even the MNLF).
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