The joint ceasefire coordinating committee conducted investigation on the incidents that took place in Midsayap, North Cotabato from January 25- March 12, 2007 that resulted to the displacements of more or less 5000 families. Though findings of the joint investigative mission of the GRP-MILF JCCCH conducted last March 19-23, 2007 is not yet available as this time, the news that had been circulating in the communities of the conduct of the investigative missions have a positive effect to the people. It produced a feeling of security and confidence to the evacuees that encourages them to go home and just in time for the land preparation for another rice cropping season as most if not all of the evacuees are farmers. Read full text of report (in .pdf).
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reports
Bantay Ceasefire Report on the Monitoring of IDPs and the War in Midsayap and Datu Paglas,
This report covers the events that happened after February 16, 2007, which was covered by Bantay Ceasefire Report 002-02-07, which was a product of a five-day assessment mission.
The first mission on March 4 was triggered by Bantay Ceasefire volunteers’ report that said another wave of evacuation happened in Midsayap last March 2, 2007. This time, the evacuees went as far as 35 kilometers away in Datu Piang town of Maguindanao and affecting eight barangays. The succeeding missions were follow ups as things were happening so fast at the field.
IDP Assessment Mission Report, February 13-16, 2007
Barely has all of over 7,000 evacuees of Midsayap town in Cotabato Province have gone back home when a chain of displacement was again reported, this time, expanding to other towns of Cotabato and some municipalities of Maguindanao.
But if the Midsayap case had been caused by skirmishes between government troopers and Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas, this time, the displacement is an offshoot of military pursuit operation against 52 inmates of the Cotabato Provincial Jail who escaped from prison last February 2, 2007. Aside from common criminals, authorities said that the escapees included MILF members who allegedly took refuge.
Bantay Ceasefire Report on the Displacement of Civilians in Six Barangays of Midsayap, Cotabato
Around 1,235 families, or some 6,000 individuals from Barangays Rangaban, Mudseng, Tugal, Tumbras, Nes and Nabalawag in Midsayap, Cotabato have abandoned their homes and temporarily took shelter in schools, houses of relatives and other structures like turugan (meeting place) as a result of fighting between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) which started January 25, 2007.
Many families also stayed only under the trees along the highway connecting Midsayap and Datu Piang of Maguindanao. The exact number of evacuees could not be ascertained as many were considered “mobile evacuees” who had their sleds and tractors parked under the trees along the highway that served as their temporary shelters.
Report on the Midyear Assessment and Planning Workshop of the Local Monitoring Teams (LMTs)
A midyear Assessment and Planning Workshop was held for the LMTs last July 22-23, 2004 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City, under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). A presentation was made by the Bantay Ceasefire represented by Mr. Brady Eviota from the secretariate, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID). In the assessment, Bantay Ceasefire (BC) suggested a more proactive role for the LMTs in conflict prevention…BC suggested roles in early detection and warning, meeting and dialogue with parties in potential conflict, and as “go-betweens” (although with clear limits). BC said conflict prevention should have primacy over the LMT powers and functions to “conduct fact-finding inquiries on matters referred to it by either CCCH…”
Cooperative Field Investigation with the Joint GRP-MILF CCCH in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao
In January 18, 2004 the Joint GRP-MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) together with the Bantay Ceasefire conducted a field investigation in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao. The investigation looked into reported violations of the ceasefire agreement as a result of government’s manhunt, which started mid-December 2003, against a kidnap group holding a local businessman.
“Bantay Ceasefire” field reports on “Camp Cararao” and the Buliok Islamic Center
This field report relates to civil society efforts to bring back the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to the negotiating table. Among the obstacles to the resumption of formal peace talks this year is the reported links of the MILF to the terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), as alleged by the government. Another contentious issue is on the pull-out of government troops from Buliok, which the MILF cites as a “precondition” to the resumption of the talks.
The Hunt for Al-Ghozi: An “Anti-Terror” Campaign that Terrorized Lanao?
In October 7-9, 2003, before the reported killing of Al-Ghozi, a “Bantay Ceasefire” field monitoring mission was conducted by the Mindanao People’s Caucus (MPC) along with local non-government organizations in areas in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. The mission looked into the pursuit operations against Al-Ghozi in relation to the July 19, 2003 GRP-MILF ceasefire, among others.