EDITORIAL - Child soldiers

Once again, the Philippines finds itself in a dishonor roll, as one of just 11 countries where “persistent perpetrators” of the use of children in armed conflict operate. It is particularly dishonorable for the country that the Armed Forces of the Philippines deserved special mention in a recent United Nations report for allegedly using children on two occasions last year in connection with combat operations. AFP counterinsurgency operations were also blamed for the deaths of two boys in Davao del Sur in October last year.

The “persistent perpetrators” identified by the UN in this country were the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the New People’s Army and the Abu Sayyaf. This means the three have been on the list of perpetrators drawn up by the UN secretary-general for at least five years. The MILF, NPA and Abu Sayyaf join groups such as the Afghan Taliban in the dishonor roll. The UN has expressed hope that ongoing peace initiatives with the MILF will improve the protection of children in conflict areas.

The government has no control over the use of children by the NPA and Abu Sayyaf in their operations. What the government can do is prevent the AFP from following the example of the armed groups. The AFP has not yet shed its image as a violator of human rights. Faced with reports of engaging in extrajudicial executions, the AFP has insisted that the fatalities were killed in the course of legitimate counterinsurgency operations.

The use of children in the course of armed conflict can only worsen negative public perceptions of the AFP. Simply making children act as lookouts – something that the NPA, MILF and Abu Sayyaf are known to do – puts the children in harm’s way. The AFP can win hearts and minds by doing what the enemy doesn’t do, and leading the way in protecting children.