Peace pact to address tribal conflicts in Caraga pushed

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 30): Peace pact to address tribal conflicts in Caraga pushed

Following the recent development on the conflict involving lumads in Surigao del Sur, the convenor of the Victims of Injustice, Criminality & Terrorism in Mindanao (VICTIM), Arthur Tariman put forward for the mediation process between the contending lumad parties by pursuing indigenous peace process known as 'Tampudah', a peace pact, wherein the contending clans and warring members of a clan within a tribe should resolve their differences through a dialogue and negotiation procedure also called ‘Kahimunan’ as strictly done among them and excluding other people to be held right at their ancestral homeland and not elsewhere.

In a press conference held today at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga regional office here, Tariman specified that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) must work hand-in-hand with the local government officials and lumad tribal leaders to facilitate a mediation process to stop further escalation of violence among tribal clans in Caraga region.

"The ongoing hostilities between the battling tribes were triggered by the disagreement on revenue sharing out of the investments (mining operations, logging concessions and agricultural plantations) inside of the ancestral domain. Due to the lack of education and their strong adherence to tribal norms and practices, the opposing forces do not discriminate combatants from non-combatants," underscored Tariman.

He further mentioned that the AFP strongly denies that the Magahat Tribal Force is part of its command structure. Likewise, it was learned that the only paramilitary force in Caraga region is the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) which is under the supervision of a Cadre Battalion.

"By understanding the nature of the conflict, the different stakeholders can work together to end the senseless deaths of the rival lumad groups. The AFP vows to continue performing its mandate of protecting the people against armed violence perpetrated by the New Peoples Army (NPA) inside lumad communities and to support law enforcement operations against armed groups which perpetrated violent attacks against rival clans," Tariman said.

As convenor of VICTIM, Tariman emphasized the role of his group to facilitate in bringing in front of the media the former rebels (FR) to let people know and understand the prevailing conflicts in the region. “They are combatants against NPA and sincerely seek for the opposing forces to surrender and support the true government for a more peaceful nation," Tariman said.

Moreover, he is even open to the idea of fast tracking the judicial proceedings of finding justice to the recent criminalities. "To the three suspects of the killings of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development, Inc. or ALCADEV executive director Emerito Samarca; MAPASU chair Dionel Campos; and civilian Aurello Sinzo in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, we are willing to assist them in providing legal counsel to expedite the resolution of the case," remarked Tariman.

Also, Tariman acknowledged and thanked PIA-Caraga headed by regional director Abner M. Caga for giving them the opportunity to voice out the sentiments of the former rebels.

The 16 former rebels who were present during the press conference revealed their sad and hurtful experiences as followers under the NPAs in their respective areas.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2761443601577/peace-pact-to-address-tribal-conflicts-in-caraga-pushed