February 16, 2005 - The Muslim Youth Movement of
Malaysia (ABIM) calls for the active intervention by the United Nations
Organization (UN) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on the
on-going armed conflict in the Southern Philippines island of Jolo, Muslim
Mindanao. Jolo, the capital of the former Sultanate of Sulu, has been the
site of fierce fighting between the freedom fighters of the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF) and marines of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) that has claimed hundreds of killed and wounded on both
sides.
The magnitude of the MNLF-AFP war that erupted recently
engulfing almost the entire island province of Sulu needs the intervention
by the United Nations. The OIC as Third Party to the ‘Peace Accords’
between the protagonists know pretty well that the letter and spirit of
the Accord has not only been inadvertently unimplemented, it is also not
the suitable solution to the recurring conflict between the Moros and
Filipinos.
Inadequate relief assistance for refugees
The
international relief agencies and/or non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
also need to bring in humanitarian and relief assistance in order to save
tens of thousands of civilians who are languishing in makeshift refugee
centres without adequate supply of food and medicines and may get caught
in the crossfire.
The used of helicopter-fired missiles and
bombings from aircrafts, battle tanks and artillery on the ground and
naval bombardments from the sea, in addition to brigades and battalions of
regular foot soldiers, including elite troops backed by American advisers,
cannot be dismissed as an “isolated case of war on terrorism”. Moreover,
the alleged discrepancies in the implementation of the Jakarta ‘Peace
Accord’ and the reported abuses of the Philippine Marines by
indiscriminately killing civilians, that triggered the latest round of
fighting, must be looked into more objectively in the interest of peace
and stability in the region. In only a matter of days, reports of
casualties have been staggeringly high, with high-ranking officers among
those killed on both sides.
The fresh turnout of Moro refugees
have reportedly swelled to tens of thousands scattered all over the island
province with not enough organized relief agency catering to their
problems. There are reportedly acute shortages of food, sanitation and
medicines, which could lead to possible outbreak of diseases and
epidemics, and therefore another human disaster similar to a tsunami
effect.
Coordinated bombings
The seemingly coordinated bombings in the cities of
Metro-Manila, Davao and General Santos the other day that killed 7 and
wounding 150 others, which was claimed by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG),
could hardly be construed as the work of the parties involved in the Jolo
conflict. But rightly or wrongly, for as long as the Philippine Armed
Forces are bogged down in Jolo, the miscreants would find it fair and
beneficial to create mischief to either hurt the government or divert
attention from the real issue.
We, therefore, urge the Philippine government and the
MNLF leadership to return to the negotiating table to resolve the crisis
while it is still manageable, according to General Braganza, the chief of
the AFP Southern Command, for peace and stability to return to the
region.
Role of IMT
We also call upon the United Nations,
the Organization of Islamic Conference, Malaysia in particular, to sue for
a ceasefire and to enlarge the role of the International Monitoring Team
(IMT) to include the province of Sulu, including Zamboanga, Basilan and
Tawi-Tawi which are potential flash points to the conflict. Efforts should
be taken to ensure that other interested groups are barred from taking the
initiative to achieve their own sinister agenda to widen or divert the
root causes of the conflict.
Any new agreement should
appropriately address the sentiments of the Moro masses and the roots of
the long drawn out conflict, otherwise the cycle of violence will not
end.
Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia
(ABIM)
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