Thousands trapped in North Cotabato

From the Manila Standard Today (May 26): Thousands trapped in North Cotabato

THOUSANDS of Muslim and Christian residents of Matalam, North Cotabato are trapped inside their homes and cannot even go out to buy food to eat because the town has allegedly been surrounded by troops of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

“We are urging the government to help us in our problem because our daily existence is badly affected brought by MILF harassment,” said Iteng Tacunes, a resident commander of the Moro National Liberation Front who is among the leaders of the community.

Tacunes also pleaded that North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza to resolve the situation in Barangay Marbel because parents are afraid of sending their children to school because of the MILF troops.

Tacunes said residents are not being allowed to go out and buy food and other necessities by about 700 fully-armed MILF who have taken control of the MNLF-dominated community.

The villagers have sought the assistance of the MNLF, but the group decided not to intervene for feat that they would be blamed by any fighting that might erupt between the two Bangsa Moro factions.

Tacunes claimed MILF forces have begun ransacking the homes of about 3,000 residents who evacuated the area when the MILF began a supposed blockade of the town before the elections.

The MILF claimed they were in the area as part of a “peace caravan” to urge MILF members in the area to support the group’s Framework Agreement with the government, but MNLF supporters complained of the MILF intrusion, sparking tension in the area.

The MILF forces are being led by a certain Commander Ali Mashur while the MNLF fighters are supposedly led by Commander Dima Ambel.

The tension caused the death of at least one person and officials fear the outbreak of a clan war, called “rido.” Government officials, assisted by community elders, have tried to ease the tension ahead of the elections and an agreement among the MILF, MNLF and the military was supposed to have been signed last Friday, but it did not push through for a still unknown reason.

Tacunes appealed for help from the local and national government because they cannot harvest their sugar cane, palm oil, rubber, coconut, rice and corn produce and that will consequently prevent them from buying school supplies for their children.

The MNLF claim that the MILF presence in Barangay Marbel is part of a plan to enlarge the ancestral domain that they will be given under the Framework Agreement with the government, but that will be at the expense of legitimate land owners.

“They are using the peace pact as their alibi to land grabbed their ancestral land. It is an act of desperation on the part of the MILF,” said MNLF peace panel member Rev. Absalom Cerveza in an interview.

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/05/26/thousands-trapped-in-north-cotabato/