‘Out Now Coalition’ Condemns US-RP Forces’ Atrocities in Sulu

PRESS STATEMENT
February 6, 2008

Out Now Coalition condemns US-RP forces’ atrocities in Sulu; urges the Senate and the House of Representatives to investigate the massacre of civilians

US Troops Out Now Coalition (OUT NOW!) in Southern Mindanao condemns the brutal murder of eight civilians by troops coming from an elite US –trained army and navy counter terrorism unit in Sulu last Monday. With this recent incident, where US and RP forces’ have committed strings of killings, the coalition is infuriated to government’s continuous disregard to calls for the termination of US-RP military exercises in the Philippines. At least seven civilians, including four children aged 4 to 17, were killed during Monday’s military operation against Abu Sayaff in Sulu.
The recent atrocities in Sulu completely exposed the dreadful conditions of communities where US and RP military exercises are being held. These military exercises, which have been cloaked with humanitarian missions to deceive residents in localities, are pointing its guns and ammunitions against civilians whom they suspected as “terrorist”. Since 2002, almost five high profile cases of human rights violations were recorded, which involved US personnel participating in Balikatan exercises.
In 2002, Sgt. Reggie Lane shot a suspected Abu Sayaff member, Buyong-Buyong Isnijal in Tuburan, Basilan. A year after, a 19 year old Moro student Arshid Baharun was hit by a stray bullet near a gunnery range where US military were holding marksmanship training in Zamboanga City. During the Balikatan exercises in Camp Lucero, Carmen, North Cotabato, an old woman, Abu Sardiya Calderon died of a heart attack when a US Chinook helicopter landed into their farm in Barangay Manarapan, North Cotabato. Just recently, a 52 year old Moro civilian, Bizma Juhan, of Barangay Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu was hit by M203 shrapnel during a test fire missions conducted by US military.

There are several cases of human rights violations that the US successfully concealed to the public’s eye by forcing their victims to sign a “settlement paper’ in exchange to large amount of money. In the guise of its anti-terrorism slogan, the US has been training Filipino troops in more than 10 years, when the VFA was signed and enforced in the Philippines. However, what did the Filipino people get from these military exercises? In the past 10 years, terrorism has not been curtailed and in fact, we have been more vulnerable from terrorist attacks because of the US presence. US forces in combat operations brazenly subverts our sovereignty as a nation and the Filipino people have been subjected to massive human right violations.
OUT NOW!, which is a loose coalition of professionals, lawyers, church people and people’s organization founded in 2002 to oppose US intervention in the Philippines, is calling the Senate to investigate these recent atrocities, especially that the Western Mindanao Command is trying to conduct a unilateral investigation that will eventually absolve US and RP personnel involved in this incident. We are also calling for the immediate termination of the US-RP military exercises in the Philippines after several violations in the terms of reference of the VFA has been committed such as the participation of US forces during actual combat operations, which has eventually led to massive human rights violations.
OUT NOW in Southern Mindanao region will also hold a series of activities to enlighten the public about the ills of United States intervention in the Philippines. # # #

For refernce:

Pastor Jurie Jayme
Convenor, OUT NOW- Southern Mindanao
UCCP Pastor
Mobile Number: 0919-8161876

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