Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Peace group confirms dislocations, forced recruitment in Comval, Dav Norte towns
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Press Release
October 27, 2009
DAVAO CITY--The Exodus for Justice and Peace and Karapatan Southern Mindanao spearheaded an Interfaith Peace and Mercy Mission (IPMM) last October 21-25, five months after an International Solidarity Mission led by Bayan Muna partylist solon Satur Ocampo visited the militarized province of Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley.
Dubbed as Duyog sa Panaw, the EJP was also accompanied by members of Gabriela, Bayan Muna and Anakpawis partylist in visiting farflung communities in Pantukan and Maragusan towns in Compostela Valley Province, Talaingod town in Davao del Norte, and Baganga and San Isidro towns in Davao Oriental.
Sr. Elsa Compuesto, convenor of the Exodus for Justice and Peace said “(T)he grave repercussions of the counter-insurgency operations implemented by the 10th ID- Eastmincom in the region are manifested in the testimonies of community leaders, school teachers, women and children.”
Among the cases highlighted by the group include the internal displacement and forced recruitment of civilians for counter-insurgency operations.
A total of 4,048 individuals or 610 families were victimized by elements of the 28th IBPA in Mati and San Isidro, Davao Oriental; the 67th IBPA in Baganga, Davao Oriental, the 60th IBPA in Talaingod Davao Del Norte, the 28th and 25th IB in Pantukan, and the Workers for Industrial Peace and Economic Reform (WIPER) under the 66th Infantry Battalion Philippine Army in Maragusan, Compostela Valley Province.
Around 1,708 cases of forcible recruitment into the Barangay Defense System (BDS), Bagani or other paramilitary groups have been documented.
“This indicates the military policy of recruiting civilians, through sheer coercion, to military and paramilitary service, in wanton violation to civil and political rights. The forced recruitment has aggravated poverty and poor health conditions in the peasant villages which are already economically backward and neglected,” Sr. Compuesto said as she read the concluding statement during a press conference held October 27 at the UCCP Bishop’s House at Fr. Selga, this city.
The BDS recruitment in Talaingod have also “increased the prevalence of the outbreak of diarrhea in the area”, as seven villages or 1,392 individuals “were displaced and forced to evacuate to farflung hinterlands resulting to increased health risks especially among the young, women and the elderly. Some 43 deaths were linked to untreated diarrhea and stalking hunger in the course of the evacuation,” the IPMM statement also noted. ###
FOR REFERENCE:
Sr. Elsa Compuesto
Sisters Association in Mindanao, secretary-general
Exodus for Justice and Peace convenor
0915-553 9568
This post was written by: Exodus for Justice and Peace
Exodus for Justice and Peace is a clergy-led peace group. Follow EJP on Twitter
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