Contents

1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 36

2 Background to the Moro Conflict in the Philippines..................................................................

3 PathwaystoYouthSupportofViolenceandParticipationinConflict................................................... 39

3.1 PoliticalMinorizationandEconomicMarginalizationofMuslims.............................................. 39

3.2 DiscriminationandNegativeStereotypes................................................................................ 41

3.3 Assertion and in Defense of the Moro Identity.................................................................... 44

3.4 PersonalExperienceofViolenceasTriggerFactors.................................................................... 45

3.5 Case in Point - Children and Youth in Private Armed Groups in Maguindanao.................. 46

4 Concluding Remarks...................................................................................................................... 47

References............................................................................................................................................. 47

Abstract

This contribution focuses on the involvement of children and youth in conflicts between Muslims and Christians in the Philippines. Contemporary Filipino youth, especially in the southern part of the country, grows up amidst this conflict. At first, a brief background on Moro conflict in the Philippines is presented in order to understand the specific positioning and experiences of children and youth. We then try to explain several pathways to children and youth support of

C. Sterkens (*)

Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

e-mail: c.sterkens@ftr.ru.nl

A.Z.

Psychosocial Support and Children’s Rights Resource Center, Quezon, Philippines e-mail: agnes.camacho@gmail.com

P. Scheepers (*)

Faculty of Social Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands e-mail: p.scheepers@maw.ru.nl

© Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2017 35

C. Harker et al. (eds.), Conflict, Violence and Peace, Geographies of Children and

Young People 11, DOI 10.1007/978-981-287-038-4_12 violence and participation in conflict. Political minorization and economic mar­ginalization play a key role, but equally important are perceptions of discrimina­tion and negative stereotypes. In this context, children and youth grow up needing to assert their identities in ethnic and religious terms. Personal experiences of violence further trigger involvement in conflict and may lead children and youth to participate in private armed groups. We cite some theoretical approaches in social science literature that help to explain the intergroup conflicts and youth’s involvement in it.

Keywords

Ethno-religious identification • Intergroup conflict • Philippines • Ethnic group conflict theory • Social identity theory

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