As the third anniversary of the 2021 Myanmar military coup approaches, the situation gets tougher for the military and for the civilians caught up in the war, reports Vimutti this week. The number of clashes in northern Shan State has continued to decline this week due to the ceasefire agreed between the Myanmar Military and the Brotherhood Alliance. However, the Brotherhood Alliance continues to accuse the Myanmar Military of violating the ceasefire, including launching an attack on PSLF/TNLA forces in Mandalay Region. Meanwhile, the KIO/A has been on the offensive in both northern Shan State (where it has taken control of Mabein Town and most of Mongmit Town) and Kachin State, where it captured bases in both Hpakant and Mansi Townships. In southern Shan State, following a clash between the PNLO/A and PNO/A, the PNLO/A joined resistance forces in attacking Myanmar Military and PNO/A forces in Hopong and Hsihseng Townships in the Pa-O SAZ. Meanwhile, discussion among scholars and analysts continue over the future of Myanmar continues, such as “what kind of local government might be acceptable to all groups, and how would those governments be financed? Then, how would a guide for reassembly—a new constitution—be written?” Read more at: https://eng.mizzima.com/2024/01/28/6645
EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD
Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.
“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”
