Mere presence of Philippine Army already brings fear to community folk and violates the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the unilateral ceasefire declaration of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, an elder of the Binongan tribe said.
Ama Bansilan Sawadan, an elder of the Binongan tribe who resides in Barangay Buneg said that the mere sight of army troopers in their villages already instills fear among the community folk because of the human rights violations soldiers have committed.
“You cannot blame us, government soldiers who have been deployed to our communities have committed various human rights violations against our people,” he said.
Sawadan admitted that there had not been any violation committed by government troops deployed to their villages under the Duterte administration except for the continued encampment of soldiers inside the community. He said that the last recorded violation against the people of Lacub was the use of civilians as human shields during the September 2014 military operations against New People’s Army rebels.
It can be recalled that during the September 2014 operation, seven NPA rebels and two civilians were killed. Families of Noel Viste, a local of Lacub and Engr. Fidela Salvador, a development worker continue to demand justice for the murder of their kin. Even the families of the rebels cry for justice for the torture, brutal killing and desecration of the remains of their kin by the operation of government soldiers of the 41st IB.
Sawadan further said that the Lacub folk continue to demand justice for the murder of Licuben Ligiw and his sons Eddie and Fermin in March 2014 also by soldiers of the 41st IB. He said that there had been many instances where operating government soldiers would force, threaten and harass farmers and hunters that they meet in the mountains and use them as guides.
Sawadan added that military operations against NPA rebels also involve gunfire and bombings that also destroys and disrupts the peace in the community.
Sawadan said that the issue of military encampment inside villages and other violations to the CARHRIHL was raised with representatives of both peace negotiating panels of the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in 2011 when his village, Buneg hosted a peace consultation.
CARHRIHL was the first agreement signed between the GRP and the NDFP in 1998, which outlines the rules of engagements of both parties for the protection of rights of combatants and civilians in the conduct of war.
“But even after the peace consultation in 2011 soldiers never left town they continued to encamp inside our homes and public buildings disrupting our normal daily lives,” Sawadan said.
He explained that the presence of government soldiers limited the activities of hunters, pocket miners and farmers with kaingins in the forest depriving them of their sources of livelihood.
“When President Duterte declared a ceasefire we were hoping that the soldiers would leave town but that did not happen because until today they are encamped at the stock room of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office right beside the town hall,” Sawadan said.
“Of what use are these agreements and declarations if they are not being followed?” Sawadan added. # nordis.net
http://www.nordis.net/2016/12/mere-presence-of-soldiers-instill-fear-in-villages/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.