Philippine insurgents making soldiers of children, thanks to widespread alienation

Reuben James Barrete and Luke Lischin argue that, to end the tragedy of child soldiers, peace negotiations between the Philippine government and insurgent groups must make room for settling the grievances of the youth

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A member of the militant Maute group is seen inside a house in Marawi in July, two months after the Islamic State-affiliated group seized the city. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:57am, 28 Sep 2017Updated: 11:57am, 28 Sep 2017

Perhaps the most chilling images from the siege of Marawi, on the Philippine island of Mindanao, is of propaganda by the Maute group featuring children with guns.

Child soldiering is not a new phenomenon in the Philippines. Like those previously recruited into the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), these child soldiers have affinities for the recruiting groups’ ideology and operations. Some were offered cash or access to marriageable women, while others followed or joined at the behest of older relatives. Coercion, though present, does not define their recruitment experience; most were enticed by the promise of a glamorous life beyond their social station.

The tragedy of child soldiers extends beyond the suffering of the children themselves; available analysis indicates that child soldiers prolong conflicts where deployed, because children, while less capable fighters than adults, are more impressionable, coercible and possibly less likely to give up.

Children line up to receive lunch at an evacuation centre outside the city as army troops continue their assault against insurgents from the Maute group in Marawi city on July 5. Photo: Reuters

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However, varying factors enable child recruitment, including high poverty, government neglect and lack of basic social services. In special cases, abuses and injustices by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other government groups fuel children’s desires to avenge injustices or defend their communities. Community members who believe the armed groups’ ideologies affirm these sentiments. Allegations have surfaced that children are not only trained to hold arms and fight against state authorities but also undergo camp-based education, including social awareness exercises plus ideological and political programming to solidify their loyalty.

In countries with a youth bulge like the Philippines, children are a source of easily obtainable manpower. Armed groups consider them long-term investments, because when children mature during a conflict, they become better equipped physically and mentally for conflict. Consequently, child soldiers are frequently a stumbling block for peace processes, which seldom include provisions for demobilising and rehabilitating child fighters.