Last Saturday, Augost 28, 2010. a seminar was held at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde addressing the issue on Child Soldiers. Now a days issue about the vulnerability of child soldiers is still controversial since its still happening especially on countries like Iraq.
What are Child Soldiers? There are different forms of child soldiers. These are; children can acquire direct participation on hostilities, child soldiers are also use as messengers or spies, sometimes they are also use as propaganda or human shields.
Col. Dickson P. Hermosa and Mr. Andrew Kervin Ras were the speakers in the seminar. Col. Dickson P. Hermosa works on the Chief of Public Affairs Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operation. He finish his Bachelors Degree major in Accounting and MBA at Notre Dame University in Cotabato City. He also finish different kinds of military courses. During the seminar Col. Hermosa shared his actual involvement and some of his experiences in peace- building and conflict management in Luzon and Mindanao. The second speaker is actually my friend Andrew Kervin Ras, when I first knew that he was a Child Soldier in Iraq. I was really shocked since he was the first person whom I knew to be a child soldier. Even before he already shared to me his experience when he was still a child soldier. So when he was speaking I didn’t pay my attention to him.
During the seminar Col. Hermosa shared us a video about Child Soldiers. A teenage girl I think in Mindanao who joined the military, im not sure with the name of the organization. The girl shared her experience, she said that they were brain wash by there leader, there leader put into there minds that soldiers were bad and that they deserve to die. When its time for them to fight, she got shot and her group just leaves her. The Philippine army brought her to the hospital and help her as well as her family. She realized that Philippine Army were good unlike the group she joined.
Even before the seminar. I already knew the iisue about Child Soldiers. I pity them so much. I just pray to God that in time World Peace would be attained.
