In a bid to improve conditions for peace talks and the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mindanao, the Philippines government announced a unilateral ceasefire effective at midnight on 23 July.
The island has witnessed an upsurge in conflict between government forces and the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who have been fighting for an independent Islamic state on the island for decades, after a peace deal collapsed last August.
According to President Gloria Arroyo's chief aide, Eduarto Ermita, the suspension of fighting would "advance stability and peace in the conflict-affected areas".
"The AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] shall revert to the active defence mode as provided for in the guidelines on the primacy of the peace process," Ermita said.
Rafael Seguis, chairman of the government's peace negotiating panel with the MILF, said the decision would stop the humanitarian situation from further deteriorating.
"Because the hostilities have affected innocent civilians and the mounting number of IDPs, the president is very concerned," Seguis said, adding that he had recently visited camps in Maguindanao Province - scene of the heaviest fighting in recent weeks - and was appalled by the "deplorable" condition of the IDPs.
"We hope that with the [suspension], the IDPs would be able to return to their barangays [villages] and communities, their children can continue to go to school and finally return to their normal lives," he said.
"There is no timeline here [for how long the unilateral ceasefire will be in effect]. This is also a confidence-building measure so that it would encourage the MILF to return to the negotiating table," he added.
Welcome move
Esperanza Cabral, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), welcomed the move, and hoped the MILF would follow suit.
The ceasefire follows a flare-up in fighting in the past six weeks, which led to an increase in the number of IDPs in camps in Maguindanao province, Cabral said, to about 30,000 families, or about 200,000 people, from 25,000 families. The number of those outside the camps and living with friends or relatives had dropped to 42,000 families, or more than 250,000 people, from 48,000 families, she told IRIN, as more people took refuge from the fighting.
The announcement of the unilateral ceasefire came just a day after hundreds of MILF rebels attacked the army's 7th Infantry Battalion detachment near Pikit and Aleosan in North Cotabato province.
Gun battles raged for nearly an hour, spilling on to the main highway and cutting off traffic and movement of trade and commerce, said local army chief Colonel Domingo Gobway.
MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato led the attack. He is one of two senior rebel leaders who spearheaded attacks on townships and villages across Mindanao last August, breaking a five-year ceasefire and triggering large-scale fighting that has left more than 300 dead.
It remains to be seen whether hostilities will end, however, with military officials saying that while they will not initiate clashes, some units would continue to go after Umbra Kato and his fellow commander, Abdurahman Macapaar.
"The [suspension of military offensives] will bring about an environment that is suitable for mutual understanding. [It] however, should not be viewed as [an about-turn] on our promise to bring Ameril Umbra Kato and his men to ... justice," vowed regional army Chief Lieutenant General Raymundo Ferrer.
IOM database
Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it was set to launch by the end of this month a database of IDPs to more accurately predict numbers and avoid repeating coordination problems between the government and relief agencies on the ground.
The humanitarian response and monitoring system sought to "enhance data-gathering, recording, analysis and dissemination of IDP information" and supplement data now with the social welfare department.
"The system has not yet been installed in the [department]. Right now, the system is hosted within IOM's network. It is already online, but for now limited to IOM," said Jasper Llanderal, head of IOM's sub-office in Mindanao.
"This system should hopefully limit confusion on the IDPs," Cabral said. "There is room for improvement in terms of coordination."
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The island has witnessed an upsurge in conflict between government forces and the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who have been fighting for an independent Islamic state on the island for decades, after a peace deal collapsed last August.
According to President Gloria Arroyo's chief aide, Eduarto Ermita, the suspension of fighting would "advance stability and peace in the conflict-affected areas".
"The AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] shall revert to the active defence mode as provided for in the guidelines on the primacy of the peace process," Ermita said.
Rafael Seguis, chairman of the government's peace negotiating panel with the MILF, said the decision would stop the humanitarian situation from further deteriorating.
"Because the hostilities have affected innocent civilians and the mounting number of IDPs, the president is very concerned," Seguis said, adding that he had recently visited camps in Maguindanao Province - scene of the heaviest fighting in recent weeks - and was appalled by the "deplorable" condition of the IDPs.
"We hope that with the [suspension], the IDPs would be able to return to their barangays [villages] and communities, their children can continue to go to school and finally return to their normal lives," he said.
"There is no timeline here [for how long the unilateral ceasefire will be in effect]. This is also a confidence-building measure so that it would encourage the MILF to return to the negotiating table," he added.
Photo: Jason Gutierrez/IRIN  |
| Manila halted military offensives against the Muslim separatist rebels in a bid to entice the insurgents back to the peace table |
Esperanza Cabral, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), welcomed the move, and hoped the MILF would follow suit.
The ceasefire follows a flare-up in fighting in the past six weeks, which led to an increase in the number of IDPs in camps in Maguindanao province, Cabral said, to about 30,000 families, or about 200,000 people, from 25,000 families. The number of those outside the camps and living with friends or relatives had dropped to 42,000 families, or more than 250,000 people, from 48,000 families, she told IRIN, as more people took refuge from the fighting.
The announcement of the unilateral ceasefire came just a day after hundreds of MILF rebels attacked the army's 7th Infantry Battalion detachment near Pikit and Aleosan in North Cotabato province.
Gun battles raged for nearly an hour, spilling on to the main highway and cutting off traffic and movement of trade and commerce, said local army chief Colonel Domingo Gobway.
MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato led the attack. He is one of two senior rebel leaders who spearheaded attacks on townships and villages across Mindanao last August, breaking a five-year ceasefire and triggering large-scale fighting that has left more than 300 dead.
It remains to be seen whether hostilities will end, however, with military officials saying that while they will not initiate clashes, some units would continue to go after Umbra Kato and his fellow commander, Abdurahman Macapaar.
"The [suspension of military offensives] will bring about an environment that is suitable for mutual understanding. [It] however, should not be viewed as [an about-turn] on our promise to bring Ameril Umbra Kato and his men to ... justice," vowed regional army Chief Lieutenant General Raymundo Ferrer.
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Photo: ReliefWeb |
| A map highlighting Mindanao Island |
Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it was set to launch by the end of this month a database of IDPs to more accurately predict numbers and avoid repeating coordination problems between the government and relief agencies on the ground.
The humanitarian response and monitoring system sought to "enhance data-gathering, recording, analysis and dissemination of IDP information" and supplement data now with the social welfare department.
"The system has not yet been installed in the [department]. Right now, the system is hosted within IOM's network. It is already online, but for now limited to IOM," said Jasper Llanderal, head of IOM's sub-office in Mindanao.
"This system should hopefully limit confusion on the IDPs," Cabral said. "There is room for improvement in terms of coordination."
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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