February 2, 2011 – Thousands of families are still displaced and afraid to return home in the midts of the continuing operations of the Special Forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), accordingly against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the neighboring towns of Al-Barka and Tipo-Tipo in Basilan.
Reports received from the island province said there are more or less 5000 families who were uprooted and now staying at refugee centers since the operations started two weeks ago.
Affected barangays are Cambug, Makalang, Linuan, Kailih, Danapah and Guinanta in Al- Barka, and barangay Limbu Upas and Baguindan in Tipo-Tipo.
Accordingly, two platoons of special forces have been scouring the area to hunt down the ASG elements under the commands of Nur Hassan Jamiri and certain long.
Artillery and air assets of the AFP were used to support the operations that had figured scores of encounters between the government trooops and the ASG.
No clear report on casualty had been cited particualrly on both sides than the apprehension of a certain old folk who is preaching Islam and reported to be a father of one of the members of the ASG. Why arrest, illegally at that, an Islamic preacher,more so that he is innocent of any crime? Can respect to human rights and due process of law be dispensed with in pursuit of any legitimate military operation? Can military in this case effect arrest without basis?
Displaced families and civilians are afraid to return home, said the report, adding they do not feel safe and protected in the midst of military operations, a failure of the government coupled with its inappriateness to provide necessary assiatnce for the displaced families.
Humanitarain groups, government social welfare agencies and nongovernment organizations provided relief assiatnce to affected families with rations consummable within three days, the report said.
The special forces constantly move from one place to another, and at times from airborne to purse the ASG. Information that is also known to military, however, said the targets of operation, the flashy and terrain-master ASG, are no longer in the zones of operations in AlBarka and Tipo-Tipo.
Several rounds of mortars were inidiscriminately fired in areas populated by civilians and resided / stayed in by forces of the Bangsamoro Isalmic Armed Forces of the MILF and Moro National Liberation Front, thus, acts constituting violations to the ceasefire and civlian protection accord between the govenrment and MILF.
At the height of the operations, MILF and MNLF forces decided to stay together in an MILF community at Guinanta to acoid being entangled in unwarrnted fierce battle if only to defend themselves.
Few days ago, the MILF forces went back to barangay Baguindan to return home and attend to their livelihood that was severely affected by the operations. Other MILF forces are now moving back to Kailih, while the MNLF are still staying together with their brothers in MILF at Guinanta.
But civlians are stil afraid to return as they fear that the fighting will erupt between government forces aginst MILF and MNLF fighters that can be trioggered by the continuing, sudden and surprise movements and operationsof the special forces in the embattled villages.