MORE FILIPINOS DISPLACED IN WAR ON TERROR
By the Global IDP Project www.idpproject.org
Geneva, November 25, 2002
Many displaced Filipinos returned home in 2002, but tens of thousands have
been uprooted in military operations to fight terrorism in the southern
island of Mindanao. Some 90,000 villagers have been displaced in Mindanao
this year while the Government and United States launched joint military
operations. Mainly women and children, the displaced have fled for fear of
being caught up in fighting or ordered to leave by the army in operations
against Muslim rebels.
The returnees, meanwhile, need greater assistance to rebuild their homes and
livelihoods in the conflict-torn region. Most of nearly one million people
displaced at the height of the crisis in 2000 returned after a ceasefire was
signed between the Government and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
But a portion of them remain displaced, reluctant to return amid security
risks or because their houses are still destroyed. Another 2,000 IDPs remain
in closed evacuation centers, without support.
Tens of thousands displaced in 2002
Thousands of villagers, mainly women and children, have been displaced in
the Philippines this year amid the US-backed war on terrorism and ongoing
fighting between the army and Muslim rebels in the south of the country.
Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes and take refuge in
evacuation centers or with relatives by joint military operations on the
islands of Basilan and Jolo against the Abu Sayyaf Group conducted by the
AFP and US forces in their war on terrorism. New displacements have
persistently been triggered in Mindanao by armed clashes between the rebel
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) and paramilitary groups.
Displaced people, or 'evacuees' they are often called in the Philippines,
are mainly villagers who flee their homes in fear of being caught in the
crossfire or after being ordered to leave by the military. Other reasons for
fleeing include the fear of being accused of being a MILF or an ASG member
or sympathizer. Most of the displaced are children and women.
About 90,000 people have been displaced this year. According the ECDFC, a
local NGO monitoring incidents of internal displacement throughout the
country and providing relief and rehabilitation to IDPs, an estimated 85,000
people were forced to flee their homes between January and August 2002, the
vast majority of them in Western Mindanao (Maguindanao province) and on the
islands of Jolo and Basilan. More recently, some 1,470 families (or 7,350
persons) were displaced by fighting in Lanao del Sur, putting the total
number of people displaced this year at over 90,000 people (ECDFC 28 August
2002). (see map in annex). Official figures talk of 45,000 people displaced
as of November in autonomous Muslim regions of southern Mindanao alone
(DSWD-ARMM 8 November 2002). This figure is conservative as it does not take
into account people displaced in other regions of Mindanao, where
information is difficult to obtain.
Many thousands of people displaced during 2000, however, have returned this
year. Only a few are still sheltered in evacuation centers, unable to return
home because of limited housing, land mines and the continued presence of
MILF or AFP forces in villages of origin. Others are still accommodated with
relatives while some have opted for resettlement in more secure areas. Of
nearly one million people displaced in 2000, an estimated 80,000 to 100,000
persons still had not returned home by the end of year (US DOS 4 March 2002,
sect. g).
Fearing bombs, attacks and mines
Many displaced people and civilians face the threat of indiscriminate
bombing or being caught up in anti-terrorist operations in the region. Since
the deployment of US soldiers in Basilan in January 2002, the AFP presence
has been reinforced and increasing numbers of "anti-terrorist" military
operations have continued against the ASG, forcing thousands civilians out
of their homes. The anti-terrorist campaign underway in southwestern
Mindanao, in particular on the islands of Jolo and Sulu, is a continuation
of the military operations already conducted by the AFP in the area in
September 2000. At that time, some 80,000 people fled the armed clashes and
military operations, often accompanied by indiscriminate bombardments (AI 2
April 2002). During 2001, military operations continued as the ASG kidnapped
20 tourists in a tourist resort in May and transported them to Basilan
Island.
Displaced people and civilians also face serious rights violations
perpetrated by the army. Indiscriminate bombardments of civilian areas have
been reported, as well as "disappearances" and arbitrary arrests of
suspected ASG members and their sympathizers. In one instance during the
visit of an international fact-finding mission in July 2002, four civilians
out of a group of people ordered to leave their village by soldiers in
Lantawan, Basilan were abducted by the military and found dead the next day
(IBON 28 August 2002). In the same area people reported to be unable to
return because shot at by the military and warned not to come back any more
(ISM August 2002, p. 25). In Patikul on Jolo Island, scores of houses were
looted and burnt, allegedly by the AFP (ISM July 2002, p.37).
Landmines are a particular threat to displaced people. Landmines represent
both a risk for civilians fleeing armed clashes and an obstacle for people
trying to return. Balay, a local NGO, reported that evacuees from the
villages of Sarakan, Sapal, Sarmiento, Tiba, Langkong, and Minantao, all in
Matanog, Maguindanao, refused to return to their homes because of fear of
landmine explosions (ICBL August 2002). Landmines are used by at least three
rebel groups, the MILF, the NPA and the ASG. Provinces most affected by the
presence of landmines are of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao and Cotabato where
the camps of the MILF are located and where most of the fighting took place
in 2000.
Returnees blocked by fear and destruction
While many IDPs returned after the ceasefire in 2000, some faced obstacles
preventing their return. A set of guidelines for the cessation of
hostilities agreed upon by both the Government and the MILF in August 2001
provided for the safe return of IDPs to villages of origin. Although most
IDPs were able to return, some were unable or unwilling to do so for various
reasons including the presence of landmines, the risk of being caught in the
crossfire with continued skirmishes near their villages, the slow
reconstruction of their houses destroyed by the fighting and the lack of
resources to restart a decent living.
Destruction of property and slow reconstruction remains a barrier to return.
The Government estimates that the fighting in Mindanao in 2000 destroyed
over 6,000 houses and damaged another 2,000 (Oxfam January 2001, p 2).
During 2000 and 2001, the government reported that more than 3,000 housing
units out of the 12,000 planned housing units had been constructed (US DOS 4
March 2002, sect. g). Shelter assistance is provided by the DSWD in the form
of "Emergency Shelter Assistance" (ESA) or "Core Shelter Assistance". The
former is intended to provide financial or material assistance to the IDPs
to reconstruct their damaged houses, while the latter refers to the
provision of shelter units and land allowing the IDPs to resettle in more
secure areas (DSWD 26 October 2001).
The main provisions of the agreement are the safe return of the internally
displaced to their place of origin, financial and technical assistance to
rebuild their houses and livelihood and reparations awarded to the IDPs by
the Government for the properties lost and or destroyed by the conflict. The
MILF is to lead and manage rehabilitation and development projects through
the establishment of a project implementing body to receive and disburse
private and government funds. In May 2002, the government and the MILF
further consolidated the August 2001 agreement by signing the "Implementing
Guidelines on the Rehabilitation aspect of the Tripoli Agreement on Peace of
2001". At that time, it was estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 persons
were still sheltered in evacuation centers, mainly in North Cotabato and
Maguindanao province (CFSI July 2002; GRP June 2002). The evacuation centers
in Maguidanao and North Cotabato have now officially been declared closed by
the government, although the remaining IDPs are allowed to stay until the
conditions permit their return (CFSI, 1 November 2002).
Others stranded in evacuation centres
Around 2,000 displaced people remain stuck in evacuation centers after the
Government decided to withdraw support. In June 2002, the government decided
to close the evacuation centers, although some IDPs were still living there
unable to go home. UNDP reported in November that the government had stopped
providing relief to these IDPs, meaning that they are now dependent on other
source to obtain the support they need (UNDP 5 November 2002).
Conditions in the evacuation centers had always been poor. As of November
2001, over 500 civilians had died from the armed conflict, most of them IDP
children in evacuation centers (US DOS 23 February 2001, section g).
Prolonged stay in the evacuation centers exposed IDP children - reported to
constitute 60 to 70 per cent of the displaced - to ailments such as measles
and cholera. Other causes of death in the evacuation centers included
stomach disorders and upper respiratory problems. At the height of the war
and massive displacement of population in 2000, conditions in the
overcrowded evacuation centers were generally described as inadequate with
poor medical facilities and sanitation resulting in health risks for the
most vulnerable. Over half a million displaced people sought refuge in
evacuation centers during the height of the crisis in 2000.
Up to 25,000 people displaced are still living with relatives in conditions
of some hardship. Following a recent assessment mission in central Mindanao,
UNDP and the DSWD estimate that there are still some 5,000 families who have
not gone back to their place of origin in Maguindanao and in North Cotabato.
In 2000, an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 displaced people were accommodated
by friends or relatives. IDPs also sought refuge in neighboring villages and
in the principal metropolitan centers, where they found shelter in
schoolrooms, mosques, chapels and other public buildings.
War and displacement has greatly disrupted the lives of people in Mindanao.
In the aftermath of the 2000 conflict, it was estimated that 30 to 40 per
cent of preschool children in the 5 provinces of the Autonomous Regions of
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), where most of the fighting took place, suffered from
moderate to severe malnutrition (US DOS 4 March 2002). Psychological trauma
and stress due to the violence and the sudden displacement, often
accompanied by destruction or looting of property and means of livelihoods,
was reported as a serious concern by NGOs and the media (The Inquirer 12
March 2002). Prior to the eruption of violence in 2000, Mindanao, and in
particular the ARMM, already ranked among the poorest regions of the
country. ARMM is an administrative area located in the southern portion of
Mindanao, including the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu,
Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Marawi City.
Returnees need aid to rebuild livelihoods
Although fighting and displacement continues in the Philippines and
emergency humanitarian assistance is still needed, the return of people
displaced by the 2000 conflict calls for an integrated assistance and
rehabilitation effort to help them regain a livelihood. The link between
emergency assistance and development should be strengthened if the return
and re-integration process is to be sustainable in the long run.
The United Nations has responded to humanitarian needs. Following the
massive displacement of 2000, the UN responded to the humanitarian needs of
the displaced population through its Multi-Donor Programme (UNMDP),
providing over 12,000 displaced families with 2,5 million Philippine pesos
worth of relief goods, mainly food. (UNRC 31 May 2000). Other UN activity on
behalf of the war-affected people of Mindanao has included support to the
1996 peace agreement, through peace-building efforts and improvements of
their living conditions via the SPCPD [4]-NEDA-UN Multi-Donor Assistance
Programme (UNDP 6 September 2001). The UN has also supported the Department
of Social Welfare and Development 's (DSWD) actions on behalf of internally
displaced, namely through food-for-work programmes and the decampment of
populations in various provinces. As of November 2002, the UN is providing
relief to some 16,000 IDPs in 5 provinces (UNDP 5 November 2002).
The Government made little effort to seek external assistance. Manila did
not issue any international appeal during the 2000 conflict and rejected
several offers from donors to provide direct aid, preferring resources to be
channeled through its governmental institutions. During 2000, it responded
to the displacement mainly through the National Disaster Coordinating
Council (NDCC), which coordinated the actions of the DSWD, the Office of
Civil Defense (OCD), the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRD) and local
governments. However, the scale of displacement has reportedly resulted in
relief needs beyond the capacity of these national institutions. (UNRC, 8
May 2000).
The Government response was sometimes confused. To strengthen coordination
and rehabilitation efforts, the Government established the Mindanao
Coordinating Council (MCC) and within it the Presidential Task Force for
Relief and Rehabilitation, placing under the President all agencies and
bodies charged with relief and rehabilitation (UNRC, 7 August 2000). Toward
the end of 2001, local NGOs were asking for clarification on coordination
arrangements as some government reshuffling during 2001 led to confusion as
to which government entity was responsible for the coordination of relief
and rehabilitation of the displaced in Mindanao (CFSI October 2001). In
September, president Arroyo disbanded the Interagency for Rehabilitation and
Reconstruction of Conflict-Affected Areas (Interact-Mindanao) previously set
up by her own government and re-established the DSWD and the NDCC as the
main bodies in charge of responding to the needs of the conflict-affected
people (Mindanews 12 May 2002).
An uncertain future
A positive development is that the ceasefire in 2001 between the MILF and
the Government allowed many IDPs to return to their homes after mass
displacements in 2000. Signed in June 2001, the ceasefire was reinforced 2
months later by the establishment of guidelines explicitly providing for the
return and rehabilitation of the evacuees. During 2002, the 'Implementing
guidelines on the humanitarian, rehabilitation, and development aspects'
were signed by both parties and further operationalized the 2001 agreement.
Up to one million people were displaced in 2000. An "all-out war" declared
by President Estrada on the MILF in March 2000, led to intense clashes
between the MILF and AFP, prompting massive displacement of people near the
disputed areas. The fighting started in the western Maguindanao province and
rapidly spilled over to other regions of Mindanao. By August 2000 an
estimated 800,000 to one million persons had been forced to flee their homes
(USCR June 2001).
But ceasefires in the past have often been broken. The MILF, a 15,000-member
insurgency group and the main armed opposition group in the Philippines, had
signed an agreement with the Government on the general cessation of
hostilities in 1997, but this ceasefire was repeatedly violated. There were
high hopes at that time that this would put an end to the military
activities of the Muslim groups, but by 2000 hope for peace had considerably
diminished. Another group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) entered
into a peace agreement with the government in 1996, providing for a
ceasefire and for the creation of a Special Zone of Peace and Development
made up of 14 provinces and ten cities considered the poorest in the
country. At this time, an increasing number of militants were leaving the
MNLF to join the more radical MILF, which was not party to the 1996
agreement.
Deep problems remain in Mindanao. The main area of fighting and displacement
in the Philippines is Mindanao, the second largest island in the country,
where different Islamized ethnic groups have been struggling for either
autonomy or independence for the last 30 years. The conflict in Mindanao is
rooted in the general underdevelopment of the region, an unequal
re-distribution of wealth, and limited efforts by the Government to
integrate the Muslim population of Mindanao into the political and
institutional fabric of the country. The rich reserves of untapped natural
resources and raw materials of Mindanao, in particular in the Moro areas,
have provided a strong incentive for the government to fight the Muslim
secessionist movements there since the 1970s (Oxfam, November 2000, pp.
4-5). 'Moro' is the collective term for people belonging to the thirteen
ethno-linguistic groupings in Mindanao. The Moros' religion is Islam except
for some non-Muslim Moro tribes.
More insecurity can also be expected from the US and Philippine government
joint military operations against terrorists. The governments this year
launched operations to destroy the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), although US
soldiers officially do not take an active part in the operations, which are
aimed at strengthening the AFP capacity to combat terrorism by providing
training and logistical support. The joint military operations consist of
several phases. 'Balikatan 02-1', which started in early 2002 and ended six
months later, took place in Mindanao and aimed at crushing the ASG.
'Balikatan 02-2' involved more US troops and took place in Central Luzon
between April and May 2002. Given the relative failure of Balikatan 02-1,
more joint exercises are planned in Basilan and elsewhere in the country in
the last quarter of the year. ASG, notorious for committing kidnappings for
ransom and beheading hostages, has been the focus of much of the AFP's
attention this year after the US government allegedly found links between it
and the Al-Qaida network, and offered training and logistical help to hunt
the group down. Many observers in the Philippines, however, believe that the
ASG is merely a bandit group made of a few hundred peasants from Basilan and
Sulu with no political agenda (CSM 18 June 2002).
Ends/021125
Notes:
1. Sources used: Amnesty International (AI), Christian Science Monitor
(CSM), Community and Family Services International (CFSI), Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Ecumenical Commission for Displaced
Families and Communities (ECDFC), Government of the Philippines, IBON,
International Solidarity Mission (ISM), International Campaign to Ban
Landmines (ICBL), Mindanews, OXFAM, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
(TFDP), The Inquirer, United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC), United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), U.S. Committee for Refugees (USCR),
U.S. Department of State (USDOS).
2. The Global IDP Project, based in Geneva, monitors internal displacement
worldwide, as requested by the United Nations in 1998. It is part of the
Norwegian Refugee Council, an organization that has assisted refugees
worldwide since 1953. For more information about IDPs from conflict in 49
countries, visit our website www.idpproject.org.
3. Contacts:
Philippines researcher: Frederik Kok
Tel: +41 (0)22 799 0700
Email: [log in to unmask]
Media contact: Andrew Lawday
Tel: +41 (0)22 799 0703
email: [log in to unmask]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: The material contained in this communication comes to you from the
Forced Migration Discussion List which is moderated by the Refugee Studies
Centre (RSC), University of Oxford. It does not necessarily reflect the
views of the RSC or the University. If you re-print, copy, archive or
re-post this message please retain this disclaimer. Quotations or extracts
should include attribution to the original sources.
|
