Child Soldiers in the Philippines
I was reading this article in a local newspaper about rebel army using children as spies, human shields and soldiers. I have heard about this issue regarding child soldier. A film called “Blood Diamond” staring Leonardo Dicaprio was one the movies about this issue. It is about the Diamond trade in Africa and people were training Children at a young age to be soldiers.
I never thought that the Philippines is one the country that has rebel armies that uses Children as soldiers. Three out of the 16 different armies and insurgent groups worldwide that has use children in last five years are from the Philippines. The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation front are the three groups in the Philippines that use child soldiers. It is a sad thing because the media has not focused on this particular issue that much.
The United Nations (UN) has asked the Philippine Government to take measures to prevent Rebel Armies to stop using children. Philippines is the one of the two countries in Southeast Asia were child soldiers are used in armed conflicts. Mynamar is the second country in Southeast Asia that in the list. They also have three armies in Mynamar: The Rebel Karenni Army, Karen National Liberation Army and the Myanmar’s national army (Tatmadaw Kyi). The countries in the list with armed and rebel groups, in Congo, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Central Africa, Colombia and Somalia.
There is good news though. Armies like the MILF, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist has plans on signing an agreement that would end the recruitment of children as soldiers, The MILF has are been talking with the Philippine government about peace since Dec 2009.
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