The state of counterinsurgency and human rights under Arroyo administration.

Abstract

Underpinned by the prevailing system, and further aggravated by political and socio economic realities, counterinsurgency has been a protracted war on its own. For several years, the state has tried to eliminate and at the least undermine its strength, but apparently, its efforts have failed, if not, have brought trivial successes to the program. Also, our government has been widely criticized for the culture of impunity that has allowed human rights violations, related to counterinsurgency programs to occur in our motherland. This paper attempts to make a critical assessment of the counterinsurgency program of the Arroyo Administration. By analyzing documents from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Arroyo regime was not able to address the underlying causes of insurgency- poverty, injustices, and bad governance. Thus, it failed to eliminate insurgency. Despite its sincere attempt to integrate and converge efforts of other stakeholders, the military, once again has assumed the primary role on executing the program. Also, with the kinetic means given more attention, the human rights of the civilian population have been compromised, worsening the human rights situation in the country. Only sincerity and good leadership can eventually eradicate this problem.