The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
expressed its concern for thousands of people from Butig, Lanao del Sur, who
remain displaced following clashes between government forces and an armed group
in late May to early June.
“Thousands of civilians in Butig were forced to flee their
homes in February, when the first clashes began. Some were able to return in
April, and just when they started planting a new crop, they were forced to flee
their homes again in May, when hostilities resumed,” Dominic Earnshaw, head of
the ICRC-Cotabato, said.
“Now many of the displaced are living with relatives and
depend heavily on their kin and the authorities, as they are still too afraid
to go back home. Civilian houses were also destroyed in the fighting. We ask
all sides in the conflict to exercise utmost precaution to protect civilians
and their property,” he added.
Between June 8 and July 2, the ICRC, together with the
Philippine Red Cross (PRC), provided food and household items to around 12,500
people displaced from Butig, Lanao del Sur.
The distributions took place in Butig and neighbouring
Lumbayanague municipalities as well as in Marawi City
The ICRC-PRC assistance augmented the aid provided by the
government and helped families meet their basic needs.
Each displaced family received 25 kilograms of rice, 12 tins
of sardines, 2 liters of cooking oil, 2 liters of soy sauce, 2 kilograms of
sugar, 500 grams of salt, and essential household items including two blankets,
two mosquito nets, one sleeping mat, and one hygiene kit.
Prior to its relief operation in Butig, the ICRC conducted
its own assessments and coordinated closely with community leaders, the
Department of Social Welfare and Development, and nongovernment organizations.
The ICRC is a neutral, impartial, and independent
humanitarian organization whose mandate is to protect and assist people
affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence. It has had an
established presence in the Philippines
for more than 70 years and a permanent presence in Mindanao
since 1982.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=901264
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