Insights from Afghanistan: Filipina UN Volunteer Killed in Terrorist Attack by Marie Rea (Source: ABS-CBN North America Bureau)

A former Filipino teacher working as Electoral Outreach and Training Coordinator under the United Nations Volunteers Program in Afghanistan was one of five UN personnel killed in the latest terrorist bombing in Kabul last October 28, 2009.

Hilario Davide, Philippine Representative to the UN identified the slain Filipina as Josie Esto, (pictured left). She was killed when Taliban gunmen stormed the Bakhtar Guest House in Kabul’s Shar-e-Now District which was used by UN and other international workers. Davide said Esto also worked as an electoral officer and civic education officer in the Philippines before serving as a UN volunteer in Liberia, Timor, and Nepal. She was married with two children aged 14 and 11. Esto is the 4th Filipino UN staff member to die in terrorist attacks.

In 2003, Ranillo Buenaventura, a staff member of the UN Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, was killed in the suicide car bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad.

Last year, Gene Luna, a staff member of the World Food Program, was among the fatalities in the terrorist bombing of UN offices in Algiers.

Perseveranda So, a staff member of the United Nations Children’s Fund, died in a suicide bomb attack on a hotel housing international workers in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Communications sent to this writer by her colleague, another Filipina UN Volunteer working in Afghanistan, give a personal insight on the tragedy. Below is an email from this worker, who is her former UP Los Banos classmate. Her name has been left out to protect her identity):

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Just to let you know that I am safe and fine and that I have been spared from today’s tragedy in Kabul, thank God.

I do not live in the UNICA Guest House, anymore. I have recently moved to the UN complex, 20 km from the city proper.

The Bakhtar Guest House that was attacked was a private UN-cleared guest house where most of the electoral people live. Six UN staff were killed (there). Their identities have not been disclosed yet. Please pray for me and my colleagues in Afghanistan.

Thank you and best regards,
Name withheld

It must be noted that the dawn attack on Wednesday was claimed by the Taliban and that Esto was in Afghanistan for just over a year. She worked with UN volunteers under the United Nations Development Program Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (UNDP-ELECT) Project. The latter gives program design and management, mobilises donor finding, coordinates activities, report and channel funds for the electoral support.

During the 2004 Afghanistan elections, a Filipino UN Volunteer, Angelito Nayan was kidnapped and held captive by the Taliban for three weeks before he was released in Kabul. Esto was not as lucky!