By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
Al-Barka is among the war-torn towns of the Philippines’ rural south where the idea of peace has often been only a dream in the hearts of residents - especially the children.
The president of the Children of War Basilan Association, Inc. – which held an event this week - told Anadolu Agency Sunday, “the harrowing history of Al-Barka often brings to mind images of death and destruction – the municipality where the bloodiest armed conflicts happened."
"So much blood, so many tears, so many lives lost on both sides!" Dr. Arlyn Jawad Jumao-as added in the local Tagalog dialect.
The area in Basilan province has witnessed many violent events in past years, including the killing of 23 marines - 14 of them beheaded – at the hands of the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf in July 10, 2007.
A little more than four years later, 19 soldiers of the Special Action Forces died in a bloody Oct. 18 encounter with rebels from the indigenous Moro Muslim population.
According to the International Crisis Group think-tank, the 2007 killings were due to a lack of coordination between the military and Moro rebels in the rescue of kidnapped Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi.
The lack of common ground can also be seen in the 2011 incident, which the military says happened a few kilometers from territory known as a base of the country’s one-time largest rebel group – currently involved in a peace process with the government. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, however, has said that the fighting began when soldiers deliberately attacked their area, “without provocation at all."
On Friday, Jumao-as led her community organization in reaching out to the children of the conflict-hit town, in coordination with military personnel, local colleges and teachers, doctors and psychologists, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman.
After finally arriving in the area after passing by several ambush spots, she said she “thanked Heaven.”
“Tearfully I embraced the first child I met and whispered 'Mahal kita’
[I love you]. And I got a very sweet smile from her," Jumoa-as recounted.
The participating officials provided services such as pediatric checkup, dental and nutritional care, circumcisions, ear piercings and mental status assessments to hundreds of children, as well as gifts such as haircuts, ice cream, school supplies and sports equipment.
"Stories of war and destruction, vengeance, anger and hunger were related to us by the children,” Jumoa-as said.
She recounted how one child had asked “ma’am, why kill each other?”
“Ang hirap sagutin! [So hard to answer!]" she said.
Jumo-as expressed her hope that their one-day activity would usher in a new beginning for Al-Barka – and might continue depending on support from donors and sponsors.
"At the very least, it will remind Al-Barkans - especially the children - that there are still people who care for them."
Al-Barka Mayor Darus Lajid said in a statement that the event was a “first” in “the history of our municipality."
