Fierce clashes between government and rebel forces continued Saturday as the violence entered its sixth day with no signs the deadly crisis would end soon.
Four hostages, including a wounded child, managed to escape from their captors in Santa Barbara village late Saturday afternoon.
The military said at least 43 rebels and six soldiers and policemen were killed in the clashes since September 9 when Moro National Liberation Front rebels – disgruntled with the peace deal they signed with the government 17 years ago - launched simultaneous attacks and took as many as 180 people and use them as shield.
It said four civilians also died in the fighting and dozens more wounded and that 19 rebels have also surrendered and captured.
The fighting began late Friday and continued until dawn of Saturday and briefly stopped only to resume again, but more fiercely. The rebels, who were under Ustadz Haber Malik, repulsed military assaults with automatic gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades.
The violence has shut down 90% of all commercial establishments in Zamboanga and residents rushed to groceries which controlled how many customers would go inside at a given time. One gas depot was spotted selling Malaysian rice for P850 a bag of 25 kilos.
Authorities said the presence of the captives have made extremely difficult for security forces to dislodge the rebels, but Human Rights Commissioner Manuel Mamauag said a rebel commander has phoned him to say that two hostages were wounded in the fighting.
The rebels have threatened to kill the hostages should the military assault continues. The fighting has forced over 50,000 people to flee and is now in temporary shelters, but many also put up makeshift tents near the shorelines.
Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar said she wanted to finish the crisis before the day ends. “Our decision is to finish it today,” she told a local radio network dxRZ Radyo Agong. “Nur Misuari, your failure to communicate with government, should never be the failure of Zamboanga.”
Misuari had repeatedly announced that the peace deal he signed with the Manila is long dead and buried and that he named himself as President of the Bangsamoro Republik.
Salazar said she would not allow the rebels to escape. “We do not want them to get out scot-free; we do not want them to leave with a free pass."
She also appealed to village officials to help authorities secure their areas by putting up early warning system to prevent the entry of lawless elements. She said the spate of events is very heartbreaking and upsetting.
Salazar said: “Six days after the spate of incidents in our beloved Zamboanga City–innocent lives have been lost, properties have been damaged and our economy paralyzed. The image of Zamboanga, which we painstakingly tried to restore, was instantly vanished because of this senseless acts perpetrated by a group of misguided elements.”
“Innocent lives have been lost, properties have been damaged and our economy paralyzed. Our heart goes out to the hapless hostages who are in distress fearing for their safety. We also sympathize with the families of those soldiers, policemen and innocent civilians who perished and who were wounded.”
Vice President Jejomar Binay, who flew here on Saturday, claimed he brokered a truce with Misuari late Friday, but Defense Chief Voltaire Gazmin said there is no cease-fire and rebels continue to attack on Saturday. “The AFP stops firing only when the MNLF stop firing, that's the essence of the cease-fire,” he said in a television in a television interview.
Gazmin is in Zamboanga City with President Benigno Aquino, who arrived Friday to personally assess the situation here.
The Zamboanga City Council has passed and approved a resolution abiding by whatever decision Aquino takes to resolve the crisis which is now entering its 7th day. This after the negotiations to free the hostages failed.
“Whereas, negotiations have been conducted by the Crisis Management Committee for the safe release of hostages and to end the armed conflict between the breakaway MNLF group of Nur Misuari and the government forces; Whereas, after a series of negotiations with the breakaway MNLF group of Nur Misuari, the peaceful means to end the hostage crisis and armed conflict failed.”
“Resolved, as it hereby resolves, to abide by the decision of His Excellency, Benigno S. Aquino III, on what action to be taken regarding the resolution of this crisis,” the resolution reads.
The Interreligious Solidarity for Peace said the events in Zamboanga have drawn attention from all fronts, including international, and have raised a host of humanitarian concerns ranging from the needs of evacuees, the release of hostages, and the reduction of the violence and firepower that have marked the standoff between security and rebel forces.
“All these serve to underscore, now more than ever, the difficulties and complications involving the search for peace in Mindanao. Alas, it is the poor and innocent who die and suffer in this senseless violence. Regardless of how lofty the cause, there is no justification in the use of violence against defenseless citizens, the ordinary people who most love and only wish to work in peace.”
“With the attack, thousands of children were suddenly hijacked of their school and play, families suddenly losing houses and livelihoods and loved ones, wholesale terror and anger suddenly seizing a whole city. In the strongest terms possible, we express our outrage and declare that this kind of violence has no place among the peace-loving people of Zamboanga and its environs,” it said.
It also proposed the following: To immediately effect a humanitarian ceasefire to allow the release of civilian hostages, especially the children, the elderly, the persons with disabilities, the curing of the sick, and the burying of the dead; For the MNLF rebels to leave all the hostages in one safe place for them to be immediately fetched and their needs attended to, and for Malik’s group to be allowed safe conduct pass and for such pass to be guaranteed by President Aquino and witnessed by Indonesia.
“We support the pronouncement of the Philippine Government for the resumption of tripartite talks with the MNLF and for the latter to continue to carry its grievances to the peace table. For the sake of the people of Zamboanga and Mindanao, especially the Bangsamoro, the MNLF must seriously consider the public assurance of national government to carry on the talks with Indonesia as facilitator. At the end of the day, peace must prevail. But there can be no peace and harmony in any society without rule of law,” it said.
Spanish priest Angel Calvo is the lead convener of the Interreligious Solidarity for Peace with Professor Ali Yacub and Nulhamdo Cegales as co-conveners for the Muslim and indigenous peoples.
Refugees put up makeshift tents in the coast of Zamboanga City in southern Philippines where more than 50,000 people have been displaced by fighting between security and rebel forces. The military says at least 43 Moro National Liberation Front rebels and six soldiers and policemen were killed in six days of fierce clashes. Four civilians also died in the fighting and dozens more wounded. The violence sent residents stocking up on foods for fear the fighting would drag on. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
http://mindanaoexaminer.blogspot.com/2013/09/humanitarian-crisis-fighting-continue.html
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