A father's plea
“CHILDREN fail to experience the true essence of life due to armed-conflict. They deserve to play outdoors with the absence of fear in their hearts.” said Nashib (not his real name), a former member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) or Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for almost 25 years.
Nashib revealed that the process was never easy. “I haven’t provided my wife and children decent lives because we frequently moved from place to place because of my obligation as a freedom fighter.”
As a soldier, he had not experienced having a permanent house he can call home. Every time war sparked, they ran and blindly followed wherever the troop will lead them. Back when his children were still very young, the sound of bombs and guns were never foreign to them. They constantly fled, uncertain on where to go.
“I make sure that my wife and children were the first one to escape. I was left fighting with this thin possibility of seeing them again.” he said.
Nashib is now a religious leader living in barangay Malimuno, Marawi City with his wife, three adolescent sons and a newly-born baby boy. Guilt and frustration continually haunt him. As a father, he feels inadequate not having the capacity to even provide proper clothing and enough food for his children. It breaks his heart seeing them affected by the situation of their community specially in relation to what had happened in Marawi two years ago where an outcry between the state and nonstate armed group emerged which created a fatal damage in the lives of many people in the area.
“Right now, my children are out of school.” Nashib’s children took up Alternative Learning System just for a short while and joined Child-Friendly Space activities in their barangay.
“I solemnly wish they will not possess the same fate as I have, hiding in the mountains, uneducated.” expressed Nashib.
“I want to see my children excited going to the school, wearing decent uniforms, sitting comfortably in chairs while reading and participating in class” he added.
For him, these simple wishes demand a huge intervention, the institution of peace and conflict resolution.
As for Nashib, participating in the Training of Community Leaders and Volunteers on Culture of Peace, Conflict Resolution and Management was a big breakthrough for him. The activity was under Project Pathways for iCOPE (Integrated and Inclusive Conflict Sensitive Protection and Education for Children in Mindanao) funded by the Department of Foreign and Trade, Government of Australia coimplemented by Save the Children Philippines and Plan International with local partners MARADECA Inc. and Balay Rehabilitation Inc.
“Attending this training helped me a lot. This is what BIAF soldiers desire as well, to resolve conflict in the community. We have the same purpose. I also learned things and conflict management techniques I never thought I could ever learn.”
He further explained that conflict starts within the improper implementation of certain groups. He believes that everyone desires to establish a peaceful life living in a peaceful community without threats and hostilities.
Nashib expressed that peace is simply to wipe out the terror and misery brought by firearms. The feeling of safety going home in your own place. The idea of children going to school without the worry of them being ostracized because their fathers are commanders of BIAF. Peace for Nashib is able to find a true home for his children without being rejected and feared upon.
“There are a lot of children who experienced senseless death and witnessed people dying first-hand because of armed-conflict. We should do something about this.” concluded Nashib with a hope in his heart that someday war will soon end specially on children for they’re the most vulnerable ones in times of war.