22 April 2009

The indiscriminate artillery firing by the Armed Forces of the Philippines AFP against suspected grounds of Moro Islamic Liberation Front MILF freedom fighters fumed up unabated on its fourth day yesterday in contiguous towns of Maguindanao.

Since Friday, hundreds of rounds of artillery strikes were fired, in almost regular intervals, by AFP hitting normal civilian communities and villages, to include the marshy areas, in municipalities of Shariff Aguak, Mamasapano, Datu Piang, Datu Saudi, Kabuntalan, Guindulungan and Talayan.

Heavily militarized now are several villages barangays, including civilian concentrations, in the towns of Shariff Aguak, Mamasapano, Rajah Buayan, Datu Piang, Datu Saudi, Datu Unsay and Guindulungan.

More than 2000 AFP forces from eight 8 infantry battalions in full battle gear, and using around 20 armor vehicles tanks, 30 military trucks and air support, were patrolling the municipalities. The movements are nothing short of a big hunt down military formations the past days.

But only a single ground encounter took place between one team of MILF guerillas who attacked the military detachment at Barangay Pansol, Guindulungan last Saturday night.

Hence, it would seem though that the AFP militarization in Maguindanao is up against the entire Muslim populace, civilians, non-combatants, children, women and aged. This statement is true to the fact i.e. the unlawful raids conducted by AFP troops to hundreds of civilian residences along the main road stretch connecting Barangays Kitango, Dapiawan, Elian, Pagetin, Sambulawan and Butilen in the towns of Datu Saudi and Datu Piang. Household belongings were also taken away by the government soldiers.

In Barangays Malingao, Bialong and Lapok of Shariff Aguak, several houses were burned down by the AFP troops these days of military carnage.

If the subjects and objects of the AFP operations are the MILF forces then why raid and burned down civilians houses in broad daylight and right in the eyes of the populace Who can help these civilians from these abuses and terrorism Certainly not the government authorities, who are actually the perpetrators of these atrocities against own citizens.

Perhaps, the way to address this centuries-old sovereignty-based conflict in Bangsamoro homeland is government’s repression and motivations that breed more rebels against an aggressive government.