MILF Counts the Cost of War

Below is a post, reprinted here unedited, at luwaran.com, the official website of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front:

The grim costs of the joint operations of the government forces, including their auxiliary forces, starting August 9, 2008 to date against merely two Base Commands of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) headed by Ustaz Ameril Umbra Kato and Commader Bravo could be listed down as follows:

A. Casualties

1. In North Cotabato , more than 60 were killed on the part of soldiers, CAFGUs and CVO.

2.In Maguindanao, more than 50 were killed on the part of the soldiers and CAFGUs. No figure was

3. In Maasim, Saranggani, 58 soldiers were killed

4.In Lanao del and Lanao del Norte, more than 20 soldiers killed were reported to luwaran and still counting.

5.On the part of the MILF, more or less 10 fighters were killed.

6.No figure on the wounded in action was reported.

B. War equipment

1.Four tanks were destroyed and several military vehicles were also damaged

2.Several high powered firearms were also captured by the MILF

C. Air strikes / artillery and mortar shelling

1.OV 10 bomber planes was estimated to have dropped indiscriminately at least 150 bombs which cost P250,000.00 / bomb

2.Double body fighter planes had launched indiscriminately more than 200 bombs amounting to more than P100,000.00 per bomb

3.Helicopter gunships launching bombs and firing machines guns for more than 20 days

4.105 artillery shelling approximated to have reached to more than 1000 rounds with each shell costing to P35,000.00

5.81mm mortar also fired for more than a thousand rounds with each shell amounting to more than P10,000.00

D. Fuel and Oil Expenses could be pegged to millions of pesos also

E. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) reaching to more than 250,000 civilians – men, women and children.

F. Suspension of school classes, farms and crops destroyed, civilians killed, investments and economy severely affected. Civilians taking up arms and government providing firearms and ammunitions. Houses destroyed, farm animals killed. Human rights violations, looting of properties by soldiers in Maguindanao. Civilian residences raided. People getting killed in evacuation centers and poor-conditioned makeshifts. People overwhelmed by fear and refusing to go back home. Muslims and Christins relationships starting to divide. Peace process at the brink of collapse.

G. So on and so forth. What else and what’s your calculation? How can we recover from all of these catastrophes?

H. What’s the right thing to do now? Ask your self first?