A Philippine Human Rights NGO providing Psychosocial Services and Rehabilitation to Internally Displaced Persons and Survivors of Torture and Organized Violence.

DREAMING AND BELIEVING: Young People Stand Up for Peace

Posted in Features and Articles

Young People represent a significant number of civilians affected by exposure to armed conflict. Citing a report of the UNICEF, the Global IDP Project has placed the number of displaced persons below 18 years old in Mindanao at 30,000 every year between 1988 and 1998. A survey conducted by BALAY in evacuation centers in Pikit, North Cotabato showed that 43 percent of those staying in temporary shelters following the military operations in the so-called Buliok complex in February 2003 are youth and children. The absolute number of children caught in situation of violence is likely to grow unless the guns will be silenced, permanently.

Youth and children are affected in different ways by armed conflict. The threats which they face are directly related to their vulnerability as young people. For example, they may suffer greater psychological consequences with the disruption of their protective factors due to the loss of security provided by their homes and their separation from their familiar environment, such as their neighborhood and school. Yet, it is seldom that they are encouraged to speak out on what they think and feel about it. Moreover, they are rarely asked abut their views on how the seemingly endless cycle of violence can be avoided, if not minimized.

When the armed clashes between government forces and rebels stopped in July 2003, BALAY took time to listen to the displaced children in the villages of Dalengaoen, Panicupan and Takepan in the town of Pikit, North Cotabato, and also in Layog Rehabilitation site in Datu Montawal, Maguindanao. The consultation held in September, was intended to identify the situation of the youth who have been exposed to armed violence, to enable the participants process their thoughts, feelings and emotions related to the conflict and their displacement, to promote understanding and cooperation among young people, and to encourage them to draw up action plans for their development and in support of peace advocacy.

Thoughts and Feelings

In one activity, BALAY counselors asked the participants to describe what happened to their community. They were asked to make a dyptich where they draw something that reminds them of their situation before or after the war. Later, they were asked to explain why they choose that drawing, and how do they feel while drawing it. They were also asked what they feel as they speak before the other participants.

Through that activity, the participants were able to relate the details of their personal experiences as internally displaced persons or IDPs. They also shared their perception of their present situation and the issues they think were affecting their communities. It made them realize that despite their hardships, there were plenty of things that they discovered about their own strengths and capabilities.

The participants described the various difficulties faced by young people staying in the evacuation centers:

  1. Family and Livelihood

    • Separated from their parents.

    • Parents moved to another town to look for better income. Children are left on their own.

    • Work in the farm to contribute to the income of the family.

    • Father died in the evacuation center due to illness; could not send him to the doctor for lack of money

    • Father becomes ill-tempered, before he was always smiling.

    • Father hated new work as jeepney conductor, unlike before that he was a farmer.

    • Could not afford even to buy firewood.

  2. Home

    • Makeshift shelters are small and they are wet whenever it rains.

    • Stay in a tent, unlike before when they live in a house with galvanized iron for a roof.

    • Used to own land, but abandoned it due to fighting.

    • Uncomfortable with present house because two families live in it.

    • Belongings were left behind during evacuation.

  3. Education and Worship

    • Could not sustain schooling as parents have no source of income.

    • Could no longer worship because the mosque is too far.

    • Missed classes due to work as "kargador," earning only P20-30 per day to sustain daily subsistence.

    • Always absent because of work.

    • Don't want to attend classes anymore. Too shy for not being able to pay the requirements of the school.

    • Go to school without food or money.

    • Walk to school alone.

  4. Play and Socialization

    • Could not go out anymore and play with other youths as they have to look after their younger siblings (especially for those whose parents died or those who were separated).

    • Missed fun playing in the farm and swimming in the river.

    • Too shy to play with other kids who were from other communities.

Cherished Desires

Revealing a sensitive issue in living in a mixed community, some youth said that they prefer to stay in the evacuation center because "at least, we live in a Muslim community and we understand each other very well. Unlike before when we live in a community with Christians, there were always misunderstanding." Some said that "(they) are always being interviewed by soldiers as to what is our work. We are afraid of that." Some said that their movement in the evacuation center is restricted because they don't own the land.

Those who have already returned to their villages have identified the following issues as their main concerns:

  • Uncertain peace and order situation

  • Drug use/gambling in the area

  • Unity and Cooperation

  • Access to Education

  • No source of income

In another structured learning exercise, the young people were given the chance to dream for their future. They were first asked to do an obstacle course. From there, the facilitator related the play to real life wherein one should set a goal and know where to go, and have the courage to go through the difficulties until the goal is reached. At the end of the activity, the participants acknowledge that it is important to dream to improve one's self and to have an aspiration in life.

Their most cherished desires are to finish studies and help their parents, to go back to their place of origin, to be always safe, to land in a good job, to improve their life.

As a step to realize their hopes and dreams, they agreed to organize themselves to give support to each other and to assist in their community undertaking.

In Datu Montawal, the Muslim youth participants planned to improve their jam'an, a place to pray for the whole community, and where they can also hold Arabic classes. In addition, they also wanted to engage in farming to help their parents augment their income.

On the other hand, the Christian–Muslim Organization (Chrislam) of Dalengaoen have made plans to hold peace dialogues between the Christians and Muslims. They also wished to facilitate the holding of prayer meetings for peace. The Panicupan youths, for their part, wanted to help in the promotion of the peace talks for the government and the rebels by popularizing the slogan "Peace Talks, Not Putok" ("Peace talks, not gunfight).

All of them also seek to coordinate with their respective youth councils and baranggay councils to access scholarship opportunities, promote sports festival for the young people and help in the anti-drug abuse campaign in their village.