a call to end violence

MPC: Stop the bombings

Mindanao has again returned to the theatre of war with hundreds of thousands of people currently displaced in Cotabato, Maguindanao and Lanao plus the series of bombings launched in the region by still unidentified perpetrators.

“This is enough. The bloodshed must stop. We cannot continue to be drawn into this quagmire of war and violence. We cannot continue to watch our children die one by one. We cannot allow the civilians to pay such a high cost for this war which is not going anywhere. We are concerned with the civilians as much as we also mourn for the loss of lives of combatants, soldiers and rebels alike,” the Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) in a statement said.

“We, as a people, must put an end to this carnage now. It is time to unite, Muslims and Christians alike. We have to take bolder steps to create a safer and more secure environment for our children and family. A step into that direction is to work out for a ceasefire in the conflict affected areas and allow the internally displaced persons to return home.”

The group also condemned the recent bombings in Cotabato City, Jolo and Iligan claimed the lives of innocent people, young and old. “ …we are outraged by the spate of violence happening in Cotabato and Maguindanao which only shows our collective failure to resolve this lingering armed conflict,” the group said.

CALL FOR VIGILANCE

Meanwhile, Bangsamoro Center for Justpeace in the Philippines Inc., (BCJP) Executive Director Abdulbasit R. Benito said that more than anything else the people should unite now to call for peace and put an end to all the violence in Mindanao.
“We are calling on the presence of the Bishops, Ulamas and Civil Society Organizations to observe sobriety, intensify unity at this time through dialogues and consultations,” he said.

Benito also encouraged families of those affected civilians to calm down even as they appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other security forces of the government to conduct an in-depth investigation and bring all perpetrators into justice with due process.

Since 2003, Mindanao has relatively enjoyed the dividends of peace as a result of a functional ceasefire agreement under the auspices of the Joint Ceasefire Committee of both government and the MILF. From a record of around 700 ceasefire violations in 2002, it has dramatically dropped to less than 10 violations in 2007, due to the cooperation of the government, MILF and the International Monitoring Team. The ceasefire agreement has effectively silenced the guns in Mindanao.

But, in the aftermath of the MOA-AD controversy, the gains of the peace process had been thrown into the dust bin. The ceasefire had collapsed, the IMT had packed up and left for good and the ceasefire committee had been demobilized as the hawks took over the war front. (Mark S. Ventura)