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CHILDREN APPEAL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE:
“May K rin kami! Kamtin ang Katarungan at Kapayapaan!”
The Children’s Rehabilitation Center (CRC), a non-government organization
helping children-victims of human rights violations; the Salinlahi
Alliance for Children’s Concerns, an umbrella organization of child
welfare organizations nationwide and the Association for the Rights of
Children in Southeast Asia (ARCSEA), an organization of child rights
advocates join children-victims of human rights violations in bringing to
your attention their appeal for concrete solutions to their plight,
especially in the spirit of the coming holidays.
More than 15 children from different provinces with intense militarization
participated in a workshop/discussion wherein each child shared the
traumatic experiences accompanying the human rights violations. The
workshop entitled “Children Speak Out!” is a concrete exercise of the
children’s right to freedom of expression.
Among the children participants were internal refugee children from Lianga,
Surigao del Sur who fled their homes after harassments by the military
during their operations since November. These children, mostly belonging
to the Manobo tribe were unable to go to school as a result. Internal
refugee children from General Luna, Quezon also participated in the
workshop where they revealed their anxiety over spending Christmas with
uncertainty, away from their homes and livelihood. Their parents were
victims of continuous military harassment.
Moro children, whose parents were arrested for being alleged Abu Sayyaf
members also participated in the workshop. Among them is a Moro child
whose father was killed during the Bicutan siege in 2004, a clear case of
human rights violation commited by state forces. They were direct victims
of militarization in Sulu and were uprooted when their fathers were
transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa.
Children of victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances
also participated in the workshops. They expressed their longing for
justice.
There were also children-victims of urban militarization. Four of 18
youths who were tortured by Barangay officials, abetted by the military,
for allegedly being members of local gangs. They, too, cry out for
justice.
It is in this spirit that we launched our campaign: “May K rin kami!
Kamtin ang katarungan at kapayapaan!” to provide them with the venue to
exercise their right to express their views and opinions as embodied in
the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child.
As organizations concerned with the rights and welfare of children,
especially those traumatized by militarization, we echo the children’s
calls and recommend some concrete measures to address their plight.
For Internal refugees:
1. Immediate and complete pull out of military troops deployed in their
areas. The ceasefire offered by the military and approved by the Arroyo
government is not enough to make the affected families return to their
homes. The mere presence of military troops in their communities is
traumatic for children and adults alike, especially after experiencing
abuses.
2. Prohibition of military personnel from entering school grounds and
health facilities. This also means prohibiting them from using it as
temporary camps or headquarters.
3. Psycho-social support for children in evacuation centers must be made
available. If it is also possible, alternative classes could be held in
evacuation centers to ensure children’s continuing education despite the
temporary interruption of schooling.
4. Government support for medical and nutritional needs of the internal
refugee children must be ensured at all times.
5. Families of internal refugees must always be together at all times.
Children who are separated from their parents for whatever reason must be
immediately reunited.
6. Cases against military personnel/unit who are the immediate cause of
the displacement of the residents must be filed.
For children-victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced
disappearances:
1. Cases of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances should be
immediately resolved. Missing victims must be surfaced. The resolution of
such cases and justice served for the victims will facilitate faster
healing and coping for children.
2. Pass the law covering the prohibition of enforced disappearances.
3. Psycho-social support for children of victims must be ensured.
4. Scholarship funds for children of victims could be established to help
them cope with the loss of breadwinners.
5. Livelihood funds for the surviving families must be ensured as part of
compensation.
6. Ensure protection not only of witnesses but also the families of
victims.
For children branded as child soldiers:
1. Clarification of Juvenile Justice Law’s coverage to include alleged
child soldiers must be made.
2. Arbitrary branding of children as combatants must be prohibited. Stiff
penalties must be enforced against the military or government
entity/entities or individuals that falsely brand children as members of
armed groups without strong evidence
3. Indemnification for families of children falsely branded as child
soldiers, especially those children who were arbitrarily killed, maimed,
charged, arrested or detained, must be ensured.
4. Immediate investigation, autopsy, medico-legal etc. of all children
branded as child soldiers by credible and independent bodies.
5. A law against torture of children and minors, whether physical or
psychological, must be enacted.
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As a general appeal, we call on the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic
Front of the Philippines to resume peace talks so that the root cause of
insurgency will be addressed and thus, children will enjoy their rights in
a peaceful, sovereign, just and prosperous nation.
We also call on the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to
repeal the Human Security Act as this will further terrorize innocent
people, including children, all in the guise of being Asia’s prime partner
of the Bush administration’s “War on Terror.”
In the spirit of the Christmas season, we hope that the children’s wishes
embodied in these concrete appeals and recommendations will come true
through your support.
Children’s Rehabilitation Center
Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns
Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia
December 10, 2007
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