Government and MILF sign Agreement on Civilian Protection

After a hard and prolonged discussion, the MILF and Philippine government peace negotiators finally signed the Agreement on Civilian Protection today at Kuala Lumpur. This historic agreement pushed further the GRP-MILF Peace Talks to formal resumption.

The Framework Agreement on the formation of the International Contact Group (ICG) and the Agreement on the Protection of Civilians are essential mechanisms to prevent the repeat of the debacle in Kuala Lumpur on August 5, 2008 when the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) was not signed by the government, as well resulting displacement of more than 600,000 people in Mindanao.

The ICG serves as guarantee that both the government and MILF comply with all signed agreements.

The GRP Peace Panel was composed of: Amb. Rafael Seguis, chairman; Atty. Bong Montessa, Amb. Ed Malaya, and Director Mark Ryan Sullivan, while the MILF delegation was led by Mohagher Iqbal, chairman,  Atty. Michael Mastura, Bobby Maulana Alonto, and Jun Mantawil.  Datuk Othman Bin Abdul Razak, as usual, acted as facilitator.

Joint Statement on Mindanao Week of Peace

(26 NOVEMBER – 2 DECEMBER 2009)

Theme : “Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao,
Bring Peace to Mindanao”

“Blessed are the Peace Makers, for they shall be called Children of God.” Matthew 5:9

“O you who believe! Enter into Peace (perfectly and completely)…”
Al-Qur’an, 2:208

“You will not enter paradise unless you believe. But you will not be able to believe unless you love one another; Do you want me to tell you a way by which you will be able to love one another? Give (and show) peace towards one another.” –Al-Hadith

In the spirit of fraternal collaboration and solidarity, we greet with respect our fellow Mindanawons as we celebrate once again the Mindanao Week of Peace.

Providentially initiated in 1998 by the Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ), the MWP region-wide celebrations, later vigorously promoted by the BUC, have thankfully energized Mindanawons to express in many varied ways our need and aspirations for lasting peace. This variety of ways inspired by our respective faith and culture has repeatedly shown us that peace must begin with each and everyone of us.

Therefore, if peace has to be brought up personally to Mindanao by every Mindanawon, this need and aspiration must influence the individual thoughts and feelings of us all. Since our holy scriptures remind us always that each of us bears the image of the Almighty and Merciful Creator in our souls and spirit, this godly gift must always be in our minds when we think, in our heart when we feel, and in our behavior when entire Mindanao as one and solid community calls for a just and lasting peace.

So in the name of God/Allah we earnestly urge every Mindanawon: “Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao, Bring Peace to Mindanao”.

Assalamu alaikum/ Peace be with us all!

(Sgd.)

FERNANDO R. CAPALLA, DD HILARIO M. GOMEZ, JR., PhD
Archbishop of Davao UCCP Bishop Emeritus

(Sgd.)

DR. HAMID A. BARRA
Ulama League of the Philippines

MPC STATEMENT: PRESIDENTIABLES AND SENATORIABLES: WALK YOUR TALK

Mindanao Peoples Caucus
July 19, 2009

Aspiring candidates for the presidency and the senate have started selling themselves to the public, spending millions of pesos to look either “pro-poor” or “champion of the poor” so that the poor Filipino masses will vote for them.

Aside from the paid ads, these presidentiables and senatoriables have managed to squeeze themselves into noontime shows, showbiz talks and whatever opportunity there is for public mileage – again to reach out to the Filipino people and tell them “I am for the poor;” “I am poor;” “I used to be poor;” “my heart is for the poor,” “I will fight for you.”

But the real test for the packaging is not much on what their ads say they are, but on what they have done for the poorest of the poor in this country.

One case in point is the humanitarian crisis in Maguindanao and North Cotabato – constituting the most number of victims out of 745,763persons displaced by the renewed hostilities between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from August 10, 2008 to May 18, 2009, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

The Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre’s (IDMC) April 2009 report had said Mindanao’s 600,000 IDPs was “the biggest new displacement in the world” out of 4.2 million newly displaced in 2008, higher than the “massive new displacements” in Sudan (550,000) and Kenya (500,000).

As of June 30, 2009, records of the Department of Social Welfare in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Region 12 as consolidated by the Office of Civil Defense, show that a total of 71,662 families or 359,022 persons are still languishing in evacuation centers or with their relatives in the ARMM and North Cotabato.

Of this number, Maguindanao posted the highest at 56,685 families or 286,542 displaced villagers, followed by North Cotabato at 8,384 families or 40,069.

Records showed a total of 339 evacuees have died since August 2008: 19 caught in the crossfire in North Cotabato and 31 in the ARMM. But more evacuees died from ailment in the evacuation centers: 223 of them, the OCD report said. The NDCC casualty figure is higher: 372 have died and 160 have been injured as of June 4, 2009. Of the 372, 109 died from actual encounter while 263 died “due to illness at evacuation centers.”

Many of those died either from mortar fire or from preventable diseases in the evacuation centers were children and babies but did any of our aspirants bother to look their way? Did they send relief goods to these IDPs, these poorest of the poor, some of whom have no more homes to return to?

Walk your talk, Sir, Ma’am: Instead of pouring millions of pesos on paid advertisements, you may want to visit evacuation centers and elicit from the IDPs themselves, what is the real STATE OF THE NATION.

–
RICK R. FLORES
Communications Specialist
Mindanao Peoples Caucus
www.mindanaopeoplescaucus.org
florrick@gmail.com
0910-310-9178

MPW condemns bombings; urges GRP and MILF to uphold protection rights of IDPs

MPW condemns bombings; urges GRP and MILF to uphold protection rights of IDPs

The violence has to stop.

We, the Mindanao PeaceWeavers (MPW) call on the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to return to the negotiating table for the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Mindanao.

We strongly condemn the bombings in Cotabato City and other parts of Mindanao. We urge a thorough and impartial investigation, mindful of the cloud=

of suspicion around previous bombings, that will lead to truth and justice.

We ask both sides of the GRP and the MILF to be mindful in issuing statements in the light of the recent bombing in Cotabato City which killed 5 civilians and injured 35 others, that could create division by projecting the war in Mindanao as religious in nature, when it is not. For several decades, the Moro, indigenous peoples and settlers in Mindanao have live together harmoniously.

Instead, GRP and the MILF should review their peace and security framework and operations to ensure the genuine interests and protection of the Mindanawans, especially their right to self determination and governance.

We also deplore the more quiet but pervasive and lingering violence of displacement being experienced by hundreds of Mindanao communities.

The Geneva based Internal Displacement Monitoring Center reported that more than 600,000 civilians were displaced from August to December last year after talks between the MILF and the government hit a snag over the non-signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

As of June 25, according to the records of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a total of 71,662 families or 359,022 persons have yet to return home as of June 29, 2009 and of this number, 56,685 families or 286,542 persons are still in the evacuation centers or relatives’ houses.

They are cramped in evacuation centers and not spared from daily mortar shelling. Children make up almost 70 percent of the deaths in the war-torn communities.

We are also very alarmed over the recent pronouncement of the military that they view internally displaced persons as “reserve enemy force.”

International humanitarian law and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Displaced Persons clearly state that it is the primary responsibility of the State to protect the rights of the civilian population, especially women and children from being violated.

The GRP and the MILF must protect and uphold the rights of civilians. Both invoke the civilians’ welfare when they wage war against each other and also when they negotiate peace. They should immediately address the situation of the internally displaced persons, by guaranteeing their safety to return home and resume normalcy in their daily lives.

We also urge the GRP and the MILF to review and reactivate the ceasefire mechanisms that had previously been effective in lowering the levels of violence, In the meantime, they must take immediate steps to discipline their respective troops.

We offer ourselves to all parties in seeking that elusive platform where the stalled process can move forward . Mindanao Peaceweavers is a convergence of peace advocates in Mindanao. It currently represents the broadest network of peace constituency in the island cutting across non-government organizations, academe, religious, human rights groups, peoples organizations and grassroots communities.

Mindanao has suffered long enough. The lives of our children have been wasted.We pray that the GRP and the MILF find a common ground for ending the hostilities in Mindanao. There is no other way. The GRP and the MILF must sitdown and negotiate. Now.

SIGNED:

Convenors and Secretariates:

Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP)

Mindanao Peace Advocates Conference (MPAC)

Agong Network

Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS)

Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC)

Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement (MPPM)

Mindanao Solidarity Network (MSN)

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)

SALIGAN-Mindanaw

Technical Assistance Center for the Development of the Rural and Urban

Poor (TACDRUP)

The violence has to stop.

We, the Mindanao PeaceWeavers (MPW) call on the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to return to the negotiating table for the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Mindanao.

We strongly condemn the bombings in Cotabato City and other parts of Mindanao. We urge a thorough and impartial investigation, mindful of the cloud of suspicion around previous bombings, that will lead to truth and justice.

We ask both sides of the GRP and the MILF to be mindful in issuing statements in the light of the recent bombing in Cotabato City which killed 5 civilians and injured 35 others, that could create division by projecting the war in Mindanao as religious in nature, when it is not. For several decades, the Moro, indigenous peoples and settlers in Mindanao have live together harmoniously.

Instead, GRP and the MILF should review their peace and security framework and operations to ensure the genuine interests and protection of the Mindanawans, especially their right to self determination and governance.

We also deplore the more quiet but pervasive and lingering violence of displacement being experienced by hundreds of Mindanao communities.

The Geneva based Internal Displacement Monitoring Center reported that more than 600,000 civilians were displaced from August to December last year after talks between the MILF and the government hit a snag over the non-signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

As of June 25, according to the records of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), a total of 71,662 families or 359,022 persons have yet to return home as of June 29, 2009 and of this number, 56,685 families or 286,542 persons are still in the evacuation centers or relatives’ houses.

They are cramped in evacuation centers and not spared from daily mortar shelling. Children make up almost 70 percent of the deaths in the war-torn communities.

We are also very alarmed over the recent pronouncement of the military that they view internally displaced persons as “reserve enemy force.”

International humanitarian law and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Displaced Persons clearly state that it is the primary responsibility of the State to protect the rights of the civilian population, especially women and children from being violated.

The GRP and the MILF must protect and uphold the rights of civilians. Both invoke the civilians’ welfare when they wage war against each other and also when they negotiate peace. They should immediately address the situation of the internally displaced persons, by guaranteeing their safety to return home and resume normalcy in their daily lives.

We also urge the GRP and the MILF to review and reactivate the ceasefire mechanisms that had previously been effective in lowering the levels of violence, In the meantime, they must take immediate steps to discipline their respective troops.

We offer ourselves to all parties in seeking that elusive platform where the stalled process can move forward . Mindanao Peaceweavers is a convergence of peace advocates in Mindanao. It currently represents the broadest network of peace constituency in the island cutting across non-government organizations, academe, religious, human rights groups, peoples organizations and grassroots communities.

Mindanao has suffered long enough. The lives of our children have been wasted.We pray that the GRP and the MILF find a common ground for ending the hostilities in Mindanao. There is no other way. The GRP and the MILF must sitdown and negotiate. Now.

SIGNED:

Convenors and Secretariates:

Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP)

Mindanao Peace Advocates Conference (MPAC)

Agong Network

Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS)

Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC)

Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement (MPPM)

Mindanao Solidarity Network (MSN)

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)

SALIGAN-Mindanaw

Technical Assistance Center for the Development of the Rural and Urban

Poor (TACDRUP)

CBCS Statement: CBCS condemns the spate of bombings in Mindanao

CBCS condemns the spate of bombings in Mindanao

The Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent spate of bombings in Mindanao and makes the following calls and clarifications:

* That a thorough investigation by a credible independent body be conducted on all incidents of bombing (July 4 in Datu Piang, Maguindanao; July 5 in Cotabato City; July 6 in Lanao del Norte; and July 7 in Jolo and Iligan City) to unmask the truth behind them (who perpetrated/masterminded them, for what motives/reasons, are they related to one another) and bring the culprits to justice;

* That responsible reporting be observed always by the media. The people of Mindanao cannot afford the Christian-Muslim killings of the 1970’s to resurface. After the Cotabato City blast, news reports have spread that give the impression that it was the cathedral that was bombed. To make it clear, the blast took place in a stall selling lechon across the cathedral compound. It totally wrecked the stall and also damaged a portion of a certain beerhouse. Nevertheless, this makes no excuse to bomb the place;

* That places of worship be spared from any form of violence and/or desecration. The blast in Jolo also happened near a church. We denounce the bombings in the same manner that we condemn acts by men in uniform who occupied mosques, urinated in them and/or desecrated them;

* That the immediate acts of finger-pointing be stopped to prevent further escalation of the conflict and to contain any possible public panic to pave the way for sobriety, as well as thoughts and actions that are reasonable and not solely driven by biases, emotions and preconceived notions that may be wrong;

* That all people should be accorded their human rights, including both victims and suspects. The incremental number of victims of human rights violations has long been alarming. No one should be another victim of human rights violation in pursuit of justice. Due process should always be observed in dealing with suspects to the bombing: one is innocent until proven guilty, not one is guilty until proven innocent;

* That groups of all faiths here in Mindanao be more vigilant and strengthen their unity and solidarity in the face of these bleak incidents. This is NOT a Muslim-Christian conflict. Let us clear our minds and fortify our greatest resolve not to allow these dastardly acts to successfully sow suspicion and animosity that could lead to conflict; and,

* That the peace panels of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front return to the negotiating table to solve the age-old Mindanao conflict. The problem of the Bangsamoro as an indigenous people is highly political that it can only be resolved through genuine political means and not through military operations. Quelling rebellion and bringing peace are two different things. The peace talks are the highest form of dialogue between the two parties. A final agreement between them could spell sustainable peace and development in the Bangsamoro homeland.

We join in consoling and comforting the families of the victims of the blasts, the more than half a million internally displaced persons who have also been further agonized by indiscriminate bombings in the very sites of evacuation, and other people who are victims of injustices.

Our prayers for the attainment of genuine peace and development.

Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS)
KFI Compound, Doña Pilar Street, Poblacion IV
9600 Cotabato City, Philippines
Telefax No.: +63 (064) 421-5420
E-mail: cbcs_04@yahoo.com, secretariat@cbcsi.org

AI Philippines Statement: Multiple bombings in Mindanao are unlawful attacks on Civilians

July 7th 2009

Amnesty International condemns five bombing incidents in several areas in Mindanao that have killed at least 12 people and injured approximately 90, the overwhelming majority of them civilians.  The attackers chose to target civilians going about their daily business in town centres and busy public places. This shows contempt for the most fundamental principles of humanity.

Such deliberate attacks against civilians can never be justified under any circumstances. Individuals’ right to life must be protected at all times, and the civilian population must never be treated as expendable tools for achieving political or ideological ends. Amnesty International has repeatedly and consistently condemned attacks against civilians and indiscriminate attacks, regardless of whether they were carried out by armed groups or by government troops, in the region and elsewhere.

The attacks took place in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, Iligan City and Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, and Jolo, Sulu—towns and cities that have all experienced previous attacks and bombings in the context of the ongoing armed conflict between Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as well as other armed groups like the Abu Sayyaf.

No armed group has claimed responsibility for the bombings.  Officers from the Philippine military have accused the MILF of carrying out the Cotabato and Maguindanao attacks. In turn, the MILF leadership has repeatedly denied responsibility and has attributed the attacks to the military, saying that there is a “bigger agenda” behind the bombings.

For the Sulu bombing, the Philippine military points at armed group Abu Sayyaf.  While there is no apparent link between the bomb attacks in mainland Mindanao and the explosion in Sulu, the military is looking at regional armed group Jemaah Islamiyah as a common link, drawing from previous intelligence that its members have conducted bomb-making trainings for insurgent armed groups in Mindanao.

Amnesty International calls for an immediate end to all bombings and other attacks which target civilians as well as all indiscriminate attacks.   The organisation reminds all sides to the armed conflict that they are obliged to comply with the rules of international humanitarian law, and in particular Common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which prohibits any attacks on persons “taking no active part in the hostilities.”

The Philippine government must initiate prompt, independent investigations into the attacks and to bring those responsible to justice in proceedings that meet international standards of fairness. It must not react to the bombings with any measures which themselves violate human rights.

Additional information

On 4 July at approximately 6:45 pm, an improvised explosive device detonated about 100 meters away from the mayor’s residence in Datu Piang, Maguindanao province in Central Mindanao, injuring three people.

On 5 July at around 8:40 am, a bomb exploded in a city street in front of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cotabato City, Central Mindanao.  Six people were killed, including an 11-year old boy and a 15-month old baby.  At least 34 were injured, including two of the baby’s siblings aged 11 years and 9 years.

On 6 July at 11pm, two of several explosives strapped to a tower of an electric power company in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte province in North-central Mindanao went off.  There were no reported casualties.

On 7 July at 7:45 am, an explosive placed inside a motorcycle parked near the Mount Carmel Church in Jolo, Sulu detonated killing six people and injuring some 40 others.  Two other similar explosives, hidden in boxes, were neutralised in the surrounding area.

On the same day, at 10:30 am in Iligan City, a bomb planted inside a car parked near the city pier exploded, wounding 16 people including three soldiers.  An army jeep was parked beside the vehicle where the bomb exploded.

MPC Statement: STOP THE BOMBINGS, CEASEFIRE NOW!

MPC Statement

July 7, 2009

STOP THE BOMBINGS, CEASEFIRE NOW!

The Mindanao Peoples Caucus strongly condemns the recent bombing in Cotabato City last Sunday which again claimed the lives of innocent people, young and old.   We grieved with the family of the victims who are still shocked over the death of their loved ones.  We sympathize with those who had been injured and pray for their immediate recovery.  We are outraged by the spate of violence happening in Cotabato and Maguindanao which only shows our collective failure to resolve this lingering armed conflict.

In a similar fashion, we also condemn the bombings in Datu Piang and its neighboring towns in Maguindanao which displaced thousands upon thousands of civilians and burned hundreds of homes.

Just this morning, another bomb exploded in the town of Jolo which killed 6 people and wounded 40 others. This was succeeded by another bomb explosion a few hours after, this time, in Iligan City, which wounded 7 people including 2 soldiers.

Given this situation, MPC posed these questions, “Who is doing this and what are their motives? Is there a grand design that is spinning a desired political scenario? Are we already witnessing before our eyes and at the expanse of our people a build up scenario for 2010?”

This is enough.  The bloodshed must stop.  We cannot continue to be drawn into this quagmire of war and violence.  We cannot continue to watch our children die one by one.   We cannot allow the civilians to pay such a high cost for this war which is not going anywhere.   We are concerned with the civilians as much as we also mourn for the loss of lives of combatants, soldiers and rebels alike.

While we call for justice against those responsible for the bombings, we also appeal to the authorities not to use this tragic event to commit further acts of human right violations.

Since 2003, Mindanao has relatively enjoyed the dividends of peace as a result of a functional ceasefire agreement under the auspices of the Joint Ceasefire Committee of both government and the MILF.   From a record of around 700 ceasefire violations in 2002, it has dramatically dropped to less than 10 violations in 2007, due to the cooperation of the government, MILF and the International Monitoring Team.  The ceasefire agreement has effectively silenced the guns in Mindanao.  We saw it working for five years! We experienced that it was possible.

In the aftermath of the MOA-AD controversy, we have witnessed how the gains of the peace process had been thrown into the dust bin.   The ceasefire had collapsed, the IMT had packed up and left for good and the ceasefire committee had been demobilized as the hawks took over the war front.  Mindanao has again returned to the theatre of war with hundreds of thousands of people currently displaced in Cotabato, Maguindanao and Lanao.

We, as a people, must put an end to this carnage now.  It is time to unite, Muslims and Christians alike.  We have to take bolder steps to create a safer and more secure environment for our children and family.  A step into that direction is to work out for a ceasefire in the conflict affected areas and allow the internally displaced persons to return home.

Let us act now

July 7, 2009

The Mindanao Peoples Caucus strongly condemns the recent bombing in Cotabato City last Sunday which again claimed the lives of innocent people, young and old.   We grieved with the family of the victims who are still shocked over the death of their loved ones.  We sympathize with those who had been injured and pray for their immediate recovery.  We are outraged by the spate of violence happening in Cotabato and Maguindanao which only shows our collective failure to resolve this lingering armed conflict.