Military photos show Armed Forces Chief General Gregorio Catapang and Western Mindanao Command Chief General Rustico Guerrero with Governor Mujiv Hataman and some of Basilan municipal mayors during a closed-door meeting recently at a military base in Zamboanga City.
An influential Catholic bishop has rejected proposals for an all-out war against the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan, one of five provinces under the troubled Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.
Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad said waging a full-scale military offensive against the militant group is not the solution. “Waging an all-out campaign against the lawless elements in Mindanao is not the solution,” he said, stressing that the use of violence to violence might even encourage more rebel recruits.
According to the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, Bishop Jumoad - in a recent interview over Radyo Veritas - said a solution that emphasizes force will not earn the government the trust and confidence of the rebels.
“Those perpetrators or lawless elements, we can’t do anything about them, run after them… Finishing them all? I think that is not the solution because that will just add more problems. I think the government must act like a mother that will look for aid in order to win their trust and confidence to the calls of law,” he said, adding, extreme poverty from which most people in Mindanao suffer is at the root of the conflict.
“I have been in Basilan. Parang paulit-ulit na lang ang pangyarari. I think the approach should really be no longer through guns. I ask the government to really give more educational and livelihood programs to those areas, especially in Sumisip,” he said.
The bishop said instead of an armed response, government officials should find ways to assure the rebels that Mindanaoans are not second-class citizens, and that they get educated and have the means to support themselves and their children.
His pronouncement came after Mujiv Hataman, the regional governor, recommended an all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf tagged as behind the killings of 6 soldiers, including a young army officer, in a recent clash in Basilan’s Sumisip town, a known stronghold of the jihadist group and birthplace of the politician.
Mayors in Basilan, who are allies of Hataman, also supported his calls, but the provincial governor, Jum Akbar, the head of the peace and order council, was silent about the proposed all-out military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf.
Hataman and the mayors also met recently with Philippine military chief General Gregorio Catapang and senior military commanders at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters where they discussed about the campaign against the Abu Sayyaf.
Among the mayors who are supporting Hataman were were Indanan Daud of Maluso, Rose Furigay of Lamitan City, Jomar Maturan of Ungkaya Pukan, Jamar Mansur of Hadji Muhtaman, Gulam Hataman of Sumisip, Darussalam Lajid of Al-Barka, Talib Pawaki of Mohammad Adjul, Tong Istarul of Tipo-Tipo, Muctar Junaid of Tabuan-Lasa, Alih Sali of Akbar, Durie Kallahal of Tuburan and Rustam Ismael of Lantawan.
Peace, not war
Human rights group Suara Bangsamoro also warned that a full military offensive could lead to civilian abuses and destruction of properties, and massive displacement of people.
Amira Lidasan, the group’s leader, has cautioned Hataman - whose elder brother Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman is the congressman of Basilan - in his all-out war announcement against the Abu Sayyaf fearing that civilians will be targeted in the military assault.
“Such policy is prone to abuse of power by the authorities and would lead to more cases of human rights violations such as massive displacement of residents, death due to strafing and indiscriminate firing, destruction of properties, exposing women and children to harm,” Lidasan said.
She said previous wars against the Abu Sayyaf tied to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya had resulted in the exodus of civilians whose properties and livelihoods were affected by military operations. She said that in 2000, the government ordered a massive military assault, backed by US military forces, against the Abu Sayyaf and the biggest casualties were the civilians while the Abu Sayyaf still continues their criminal activities.
Lidasan also accused Hataman of contradicting himself when two years ago he and the other governors in the autonomous region said “never again” to all-out war policy in dealing with rebels. She reminded Hataman that in the previous military operations against the Abu Sayyaf, there were also reports of military clashes with Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels who are also in the mountainous area of Basilan.
Rep. Francisco Ashley Acedillo, who was among those who led a coup against the previous Arroyo government, also rejected Hataman’s proposal for an all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf, saying, innocent civilians will bear the brunt of the military operations.
“Sang-ayon po tayo na tugisin ng gobyerno yung mga responsible rito para mahuli sila, makasuhan at makulong, (pero) hindi tayo sang-ayon na gawing all-out war,” Acedillo said.
“Ang nasa losing end diyan, ‘yung ating mga sibilyan. Alam naman natin, hindi naman buong isla ang involved sa nangyari pero sila ay maaapektuhan lahat dito kapag nagkaroon ng massive military operation.”
Various Muslim groups also opposed a full-scale offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu province where security forces are pursuing the militants, saying, it would affect and displaced tens of thousands of innocent civilians.
“Baligtad na talaga, (si Mujiv Hataman) ang nagpakilalang HR (human rights) fighter and peace activist noon (remember his Anak Mindanao party-list na asawa naman niya ngayon ang naupo) ang nananawagan ngayon ng all-out war at ang isang (Magdalo) party-list na mas linyado sa mga sundalo ay ang umaawat at sumasalungat sa munkahing all-out war? Tama ba itong nababasa ko?” asked Lanog Mindanao, a group advocating for the rights of the indigenous peoples in Mindanao.
President Benigno Aquino has recently ordered security forces to sustain the operations against the Abu Sayyaf group and at the same time said the government is also trying to bring progress to the region by constructing infrastructure.
“Ina-assure tayo ng ating militar at kapulisan na supisiyente ang ating mga pwersa para malipol itong mga masasamang-loob na ito,” Aquino said, adding, several infantry battalions were sent to Mindanao to sustain the operations against the Abu Sayyaf which is still holding more than a dozen Filipino and foreign hostages in the restive region.
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2014/11/catholic-church-rejects-military.html
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