Phil Military Claims Are True: Rebel Group Uses Children Soldiers
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
At 10 years of age, children should worry about: homework, fitting-in, being grounded, missing the school bus and whether they will receive a new toy for Christmas. What they shouldn’t worry about? Their lives during an encounter with government troops.
War is no place for children and youth.
Unfortunately, here in the Philippines, so is the case. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) claimed that communist group, the New People’s Army (NPA), has long recruited child warriors as members. This claim has proven to be true. 19 out of the 80 rebels who surrendered to the AFP this week were minors. Imagine boys who aren’t even in their teens operating high-powered riffles in order to survive a clash with government troops.
Apparently, the use of children in warfare is advantageous because they can easily slip past police and military when acting as couriers. After all, no one would ever suspect children to be carrying such messages. Also, according the the AFP, in a span of 10 years, about 340 minors have already fought in the frontlines against them.
What should be done about this?
Fortunately, the AFP has coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as well as other local agencies to help prevent the recruitment of youngsters to this rebel group. How? By persuading parents to disallow their children form joining. But will this be enough? I hope so.
Punishments should be carried out to parents who have let their precious children join such senseless violence, as well as the group who took them in. Isn’t there a law against allowing and recruiting youngsters into warfare?
This practice should absolutely be discontinued here in the Philippines and everywhere around the world.
Sources:Philippine Daily Inquirer-
Military claims proof of NPA ‘child warriors’
Army seeks help of DSWD, LGUs for ‘child warriors’
Photo:
Creative Commons from Blueberry Morning
Get a weekly round-up of our posts by subscribing to our Newsletter. It's FREE.
No related posts.