2008-12-04 14:49:01 - ZAMBOANGA CITY. UN official probes reports on children involved in conflict being used by terror groups

A United Nations (UN) official is scheduled to visit the country to conduct a week-long special investigation on the situation of children involved in armed conflict in Mindanao.

Maj. Gamal Hayudini, chief of the military's 4th Civil Relations Group (CRG), said Radhika Coomaraswany, undersecretary of the Special Representative to the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict, would be coming to

conduct the special investigation from December 7 to 13.

Hayudini said Coomaraswany would look into appalling reports on children being used as combatants by different armed groups including the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and New People's Army (NPA).

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has earlier expressed high concerns on the reports of child soldiers in the Philippines when one of the television networks showed live pictures of children undergoing training in one of the MILF camps in Mindanao.

The UNICEF considers any person under the age of 18 to be a child.

The UNICEF said utmost care should be taken to protect their rights.

Hayudini said "the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will fully cooperate with the investigation.

"The AFP will work with the different civil society organizations, including other human rights stakeholders to assist Coomaraswany.

"The AFP is also organizing a special body that will focus and address impending issues related to human rights and the children involved in armed conflicts."

Hayudini said this effort was an indication of the AFP's adherence and advocacy for the protection of the human rights as well as to prevent the enemies from exploiting the children.

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