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Displaced Lanao Villagers to Get P53-M Assistance Vol. 3 No. 13 December 2008 Special Year-End Edition Peace Monitor Displaced Lanao villagers to get P53-M assistance CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Northern Mindanao said that at least P53.29 million have already been extended to the internally displaced persons (IDP’s) affected by the ongoing atrocities between government security forces and rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Lanao del Norte. Northern Mindanao OCD Director Carmelito A. Lupo said the government is continuously supporting the IDP’s needs since last August after wanted Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader Abdulrahman Macaapar, alias “Commander Bravo” staged a bloody attack in several towns in Lanao del Norte where several innocent civilians were killed and wounded, and burned several houses. [DISPLACED/p.11] HYDROELECTRIC PLANT --- Children walk along modular tubes where water from a river in Buldon, Shariff Kabunsuan Bangsamoro state flow down to a paddle wheel attached to a turbine generator now supplying electricity to more than a hundred houses in the area.[] eyed under federacy BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Senate Minority MEDCo holds exhibit on Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. on Friday said the Mindanao’s peace and autonomous governments mandated by the 1987 Constitution for indigenous Filipinos of the Cordillera development achievements and Muslim Mindanao would not be touched by DAVAO CITY (PNA) — The Mindanao Economic charter amendments seeking to create a federal Development Council (MEDCo) has set up a peace and government in the Philippines. development exhibit at the SM City Davao Event Center Pimentel said the existence of the autonomous in support of this year’s Mindanao Week of Peace governments, particularly the Autonomous Region in celebration. Muslim Mindanao, would repair the damage caused MEDCo chair Undersecretary Virgilio L. Leyretana Jr. by a failed government attempt to sign a deal creating said that in the face of renewed conflicts that give a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity with the Moro Islamic Mindanao unfair negative image, there is a need to Liberation Front. articulate the other “face” of the island-region. In August, a peace panel organized by President “The exhibit is our humble attempt to highlight and Macapagal-Arroyo and its counterpart in the MILF protect Mindanao’s gains in peace and development, and drafted a memorandum of agreement on ancestral create a positive projection of Mindanao,” Leyretana said. [BANGSAMORO/p.11] [MEDCO/p.11] Supported by: Institute for Autonomy and Governance 2 Special Year-End Edition December 2008 SC asked to reverse MILF rebel surprised by raid charge MILF land ruling GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines—Police MANILA, Philippines — A Muslim group has asked authorities in Sarangani province recently filed charges the Supreme Court to reverse its ruling declaring as against Alo Binago, a sub-commander of the Moro unconstitutional the memorandum of agreement on Islamic Liberation Front, for leading the August 18 ancestral domain (MOA-AD). MILF attack on Maasim town wherein two civilians In a 51-page motion for reconsideration, lawyer Nasser died and several houses were burned. Marohomsalic and his group the Muslim Legal Assistance But Binago has been in jail since 2006 and could Foundations Inc. told the high court that it should uphold not have possibly led the attacks while behind bars, the validity of the agreement between the government and said his father, Ingkong Binago. the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Rolando Ampuyas, warden of the Sultan Kudarat They said that contrary to the apprehensions of several provincial jail, confirmed that the suspected MILF petitioners, the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE), which leader has been in their custody since July 31, 2006. will be created through the MOA-AD, would not become Binago was arrested the same month due to his a separate state but would remain part of the Philippines. alleged involvement in various crimes in Central Petitioners said that the MOA-AD was their hope of Mindanao, including the kidnapping of a Korean achieving lasting peace in Mindanao. national in 2002. Last October 14, the Supreme Court declared as “We were surprised why he was implicated (in unconstitutional the MOA-AD, which was supposed to the Maasim raid) when in fact, he has been here for be signed by the government and MILF last August in two years already,” Ampuyas said. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He said other inmates and jail guards could attest Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, author of that Binago never left the jail since then. the ruling, and seven other justices agreed with the Binago, who admitted to being a member of the petitioners that the MOA was unconstitutional and that MILF’s 105th Base Command under Ameril Ombra [SC /p.9] Kato, was amused when he learned that the police had charged him for the Maasim raid. “Natatawa ako na nadamay ang pangalan ko dun In Datu Piang, even sa gulo sa Maasim eh nandito ako sa loob ng kulungan [MILF /p.9] schools “evacuate,” too EDITORIAL BOARD DATU PIANG, Maguindanao (MindaNews/25 Oc- BGen Rey Sealana AFP tober) – Elizabeth Sarabia, 48, has had to travel almost Chief Executive Officer everyday this week from her home in Poblacion 2, Midsayap, North Cotabato to this town, spending a Toks Ibrahim Chief Editor total of P140 a day, to teach 10 of her 55 students in Montay Elementary School, in a “borrowed” classroom Jun Sol Jr. at the Datu Gumbay Piang Central Elementary School Rashid Ladiasan Associate Editor here. Two other elementary schools – in Barangays Dado Editors: Col Franklin Del Prado and Duaminanga – are holding classes in Datu Gumbay, Geraldine So Josan Pacaldo to ensure the children’s education continues — principal Usop Panegas says. Rafael Seguis Together, four schools are sharing its 30 classrooms Mohaqher Iqbal Counselors at daytime — from 7 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. At nighttime, the rooms are occupied by some of Technical Staff: the estimated 6,000 evacuees within the school grounds. Danny Pillo Bobette Dimaukom Sherwin Sonsona Sammy Usop Sarabia, who has been teaching in Barangay Montay Ronald Mamasu Toks Upam for 11 years now, used to rent a room or stay with Ivan Escaño Esmael Lucas friends here but with the influx of evacuees into the Jonnel Develos Dong Dag-uman Darlien Carollo Richard Bedua poblacion, “the worst” in the history of this predominantly Moro trading town and the largest The publication of this newsletter is made possible through the technical and financial assistance provided by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance and the Konrad municipality in Mindanao a century ago, all rooms have Adenauer Stiftung. The IAG is at the Alumni Center, Notre Dame University, Cotabato City been taken. and the KAS is at ALPAP 1 Building, 140 Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. [IN /p.8] December 2008 Special Year-End Edition 3 Pacts just ‘cosmetics’ – Respect rights, Amnesty Malaysian prof tells AFP, rebs COTABATO CITY – A Malaysian Islamic university MANILA, Philippines—Amnesty International professor has called for unity among the people of Wednesday urged the Philippine military and Moro rebels Mindanao amid the ongoing fighting between government to respect the rights of noncombatants, holding them and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces that responsible for deaths and destruction in Mindanao. seems to have widened the gap between Muslims and The London-based rights group said that since the Christians. current round of fighting broke out in August, it had “Let’s embrace each other as a human family,” Prof. documented hundreds of cases of human rights abuses in Kamar Omiya Kamarosa of the International Islamic which almost 100 civilians were killed and hundreds of University in Malaysia said during a speech delivered at homes and farms destroyed. a forum for peace hosted by Muslim converts here. Donna Guest, Amnesty deputy director in the Asia- Kamarosa said anything that “is wrong, brutal and Pacific region, said soldiers and guerrillas were behind violent against any community” should be condemned the killings and burning of houses and farms, according together by the other communities. to victims the group had interviewed. “If anything (wrong) happens to the Muslims, the “The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and local Christians, Catholics and Protestants should voice out and groups opposing the peace talks have used violence as a negotiating strategy and hundreds of thousands of people condemn this; (In like manner) if the same happens to the are paying the price,” Guest said in a statement. Christians, the Muslims should likewise condemn it, for Some of those interviewed at temporary shelters in we are one family and all religions speak about co- late August and early September also blamed soldiers for existence,” she said. some of the atrocities, said Aurora Parong, head of the Kamarosa also said that in the case of Mindanao, which local chapter of Amnesty. has been affected by decades of conflict, what was needed “In most cases, the Philippine government failed to was a common direction and not treaties, which she provide noncombatants adequate protection,” Parong told labeled as “cosmetics.” Reuters. “Some of the victims said the government has “To me, all peace agreements and treaties are only also done some abuses.” cosmetics. It makes people feel as if we are moving In a 39-page fact-finding report, Amnesty urged both forward, but the real change lies on the people. It is the the government and MILF to abide by the protocols of the responsibility of every individual to work for change,” she Geneva Convention in the conduct of war and to take said. action against rights abuses in the conflict areas. Kamarosa said a signed peace agreement would not It also recommended that the government indemnify solve a problem like that in Mindanao.
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