Without peace accord, Mindanaoans remain at risk of being affected by conflict - MILF

Manila - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday acknowledged the appeal of a Mindanao lawmaker to spare civilians from hostilities between the group and the military but admitted that as long as the government fails to address the Bangsamoro problem, civilians in Mindanao will always be at risk of being affected by the conflict.

In a statement posted on the MILF website, MILF secretariat chairman Muhammad Ameen said the appeal made by Cotabato Rep. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza to ensure civilians are not caught in hostilities between the MILF and military is "fair enough."

"It is good sometimes that you are once in a while reminded of the do`s and don`ts in conflict," Ameen said.

However, Ameen said without a permanent solution to the Moro problem, civilians will always be at risk as fightings are expected to occur from time to time. "This is a painful admission but this is the truth and there is no other truth," Ameen said.

In the statement, Ameen urged Mendoza to do everything possible to push the GRP-MILF peace talks to a successful conclusion, saying this is the only way to achieve peace in the southern Philippine region.

Mendoza earlier said renewed armed hostilities between the military and MILF guerillas in Cotabato province have forced many civilians, many of them women and children, to flee their homes.

The MILF noted Mendoza`s hometown of Carmen was the scene of a bloody massacre on June 19, 1971 where 70 women, children, men were massacred in cold-blood by a joint Ilaga-Constabulary outfit.

Late last week, some 500 families were reported to have fled their homes in the towns of Pikit, Aleosan and Midsayap in Cotabato following skirmishes between government forces and Moro guerrillas.

Mendoza said the skirmishes have adversely affected the local economy in Cotabato, saying crops are destroyed during clashes while farmers halt tending to their farms for fear of getting caught in the middle of crossfire. - GMANews.TV

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv (July 07, 2008)
Credit Photo: www.pulitzercenter.org

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