Friday, February 27, 2015

Tribal groups decry military, NPA presence in provinces

From the Mindanao Times (Feb 27): Tribal groups decry military, NPA presence in provinces

COMPLAINTS from various tribal groups against both the military and New People’s Army operating in Agusan, Kapalong, and Talaingod will be forwarded in a report to DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said.
 
Duterte, Regional Peace and Order Council chair, was present in a dialogue Wednesday night between the civic society groups, the military, and IPs, who were protesting both the operations of the AFP’s EastMinCom and the NPA, saying it disrupted peace and order, and livelihood in their areas.
 
Among the allegations made by datus against the military included forced confessions of being NPA members, tagging, and operating near schools and the barangay halls.
 
“The military are not allowed to use schools and barangay halls as living areas. But you cannot tell them to not use it for purposes like meetings and other official gatherings,” said Duterte, but added as RPOC chair he would always be “on alert” to future complaints of army personnel using barangay halls and schools as living areas.
 
Duterte did not oblige however to one request to totally pull out troops in those areas.
“It is their duty to be stationed there. We cannot tell them where they should be stationed,” said Duterte about the military.
 
However, while the event was also an avenue to “protest militarization” in the said areas, the lumads said NPA operations were affecting their livelihood as they would be pulled out to join protests in the city or other areas, as well as constant fear of fire fight.
 
Duterte said the military should ensure the safety of civilians should they have to engage in fighting with the military.
 
“You also cannot tell them [NPA] to stop because their fight is cause-oriented,” he said, and he can only “reason” with them on certain issues.
 
Duterte stressed to the lumad groups however that being educated on their rights was also fundamental in ensuring their safety between the military and NPA.
 
“Your children in the farms who do not have education, bring them here. I plan to put up a dormitory where they can stay while away from home,” he said.
 
He added the lumad groups should also be open to having investors develop their farm land.
 
“Find businesses you trust and use the land now,” he said.
 
The mayor previously offered to NPA members in Paquibato District to allow palm oil developers to buy land in the area in exchange for prioritizing them in employment.
 
He said they only had to “hide” their weapons and not demand a revolutionary tax, however, he said his proposal was rejected.
 

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