CHR’s De Lima: ‘Civilians Are Suffering Immensely’

On the part of the State, their obligation to protect civilians may justify their unrelenting pursuit of the rogue MILF armies led by Ameril Umbra Kato, Abdurahman Macapaar and Aleem Sulaiman Pangalian. It may justify their refusal to accede to calls for a ceasefire, not until these rogue units are neutralized. However, there is no reason for evacuees to suffer more than what is necessary. Several aspects of the government response to the internal displacement of civilians must be addressed with as much fervor as the military operations are carried out. As the Commission has urged in recent press statements, “the NDCC and all LGUs [must] proactively plan for fresh and larger influx of internally displaced persons”, anticipating the mass of civilians fleeing a protracted armed conflict. It must handle it better than what had been observed of the government by the members of the CHR special mission sent to North Cotabato.

The current armed conflict in Mindanao may have causes linked to the MOA-AD negotiations, economic woes of Mindanao, or the perceived disenfranchisement of the Muslim population. It may have causes that can be traced to 300 years past. Nevertheless, the causes behind the secessionist struggle must be separated from the ends sought: self-determination of the Muslim nation. In the same way, the ends must be separated from the means. If the means to achieve self-determination entail the immense suffering of thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, all Filipinos, by violence and war, murder and pillage and displacement, there can be no justification for their side to the armed conflict.

The response of the government must be scrutinized in the same way. If the end of “removing all obstacles to peace” comes at the cost of displacing thousands, without preparing for the needs of the internally displaced, can we concede that this is the price that our people must pay? We can justify pursuit of these rogue MILF armies. But we cannot justify the lack of foresight, preparation, relief and comfort for the internally displaced.

At the heart of this conflict really isn’t the failure of the BJE to materialize, or the breakdown of the negotiations of the MOA-AD. It is not the rogue armies that the AFP must hunt. These are causes. The heart, the heart – bled profusely, of this conflict is the civilian. The murdered, the human shields, thousands of homeless or displaced civilians, men, women, children, the elderly, the vulnerable, the various indigenous tribes, persons with disabilities, the sick and injured. The heart of this armed conflict is the robbery of their dignity and their safety. And unlike any vague characterization of the “war” in Mindanao or any shaky justification for the conflict, the plight of our brethren Filipinos is crystal clear. Let us make no mistake about that.

Thank you.