ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 15, 2013) – The Mindanao Human Rights Action Center has expressed concern over the plight of civilians in the southern Philippine province of Basilan where military assaults continue the past days.
Troops were firing 105mm cannon on Moro National Liberation Front rebels and Abu Sayyaf militants blamed for a series of attacks in Basilan, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
Military bombardments were also reported in several towns where rebels had been sighted, but it also put in danger civilians near those targets.
The assaults triggered an exodus of civilians and many of them are staying in temporary shelters, but food supply is depleted due to the suspension of boat travels from Basilan to Zamboanga City where security forces are also battling a faction of the MNLF since September 9.
“Frantic phone calls from grassroots monitors in Basilan indicate that some of the 105mm shells that AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) artillery units are firing at reported sightings of MNLF are falling near civilian populations. Residents of the municipalities of Tuburan, Akbar and Lamitan (city) had to hurriedly leave their homes late afternoon until evening after artillery shells suddenly started to fall in their villages,” the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center said in a bulletin on Sunday.
It also recommended the suspension of artillery shelling where civilians are at the risk of being hit. It said the areas must be free from civilian population. “Before resuming, prior confirmation that the identified target areas are not populated by civilians,” it said.
A team from the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center headed by Ershad Tawasil, in-charge of civilian protection, and Regina Lim and Omar Hallong were also in the frontline of military assault in Zamboanga on Saturday and documenting the violence in the city brought about by the continued fighting.
Diego’s group was braving the dangerous battle front without any safety equipment – body armour and Kevlar helmet – and not even a radio communication set, but a digital pocket camera and a cell phone which doubles as a digital voice recorder and their pressing concern about the safety of civilians and the rights of everybody in those dangerous areas.
The team also provided bottled water to people and mingled with residents and interviewing them about the fighting that had already killed and wounded dozens of people since the conflict began.They also visited various evacuations camps in Zamboanga and Basilan.
A small team from the Human Rights Watch led by Carlos Conde was also documenting in the frontlines. Just like Tawasil’s group, Conde also braved the frontlines with one mission in mind and that is to report the human rights situation on the grounds.
MNLF rebels – disgruntled with the 1996 peace deal they signed with Manila – launched simultaneous attacks in several villages in Zamboanga and took over 100 people and use them as shield against security forces. (Mindanao Examiner)
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