Diary of a Peacekeeper by Oloo Oteino

I KNOW FIRSTHAND the combined power of unarmed civilian peacekeeping and ordinary people’s extraordinary courage. I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Sri Lankan mothers determined to gain the release of 26 children abducted to serve as child soldiers by rebel forces. Accompanying these courageous mothersto the rebel encampment, NP leveraged the power of our international presence and coordinated the timely arrival of other powerful international organizations to strengthen our position.

With no threat of violence leveled against his forces, the senior-most rebel commander arrived to meet with the mothers and their nonviolent entourage. Our lack of arms earned the commander’s trust, respect and cooperation. He yielded with grace, apologized to the families, and ordered the immediate release of all 26 children.

The relief, joy and tears on the mothers’ and children’s faces are the same as those I saw this year here in Mindanao on the faces of a young couple.

While on a regular monitoring mission in a remote rural community, a barangay (village) captain told us of a woman who just moments before had come to him in terrible distress. Just three hours before, her husband was arrested from a paddy field while at work.

My NP colleagues and I immediately called the civil military officer, the vice mayor of the town and NP’s main office to report the arrest. With our local partner, we accompanied the woman to the military detachment where her husband was detained. Nineteen years old, distraught and crying, she pleaded for our help to get her husband back to her and their eight-month-old baby. She had been extremely reluctant to approach the soldiers on her own for fear of interrogation and of what would happen to her baby if she, too, were arrested.

But emboldened by the presence of foreigners, she made her case to the local battalion commander with whom NP had a long-standing relationship. Within three hours, an impromptu community dialogue was convened by the barangay captain and the battalion commander, who were on opposing sides of the hostilities.The commander explained the husband was suspected of belonging to a criminal gang recently spotted in the area. He apologized for the arrest and implored the community to report any suspicious people to the nearest military detachment. The terrified husband, just 22 years old, was released after six hours in custody.

“NP’s regular presence and visibility in our remote villages and its efforts to foster relationships are bringing us peace.” Barangay (Village) Captain Oloo