OT: Bantay Ceasefire

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*BANTAY CEASEFIRE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON MAMASAPANO, MAGUINDANAO
CLASHES IN LATE JANUARY 2006
*
Location: Barangays Tapikan, Coloy and Nabundas, Mamasapano town,
Maguindanao

Matter Investigated: Armed Engagements between BIAF under 105th Base
Command and Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and Civilian
Volunteers Organization (CVO)

*_Summary of Events:_*

The Conflict:
Elements of 105th Base Command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
led by Said Pakiladatu entered Barangay Kaya-kaya, Datu Abdullah Sangki
Municipality at around 1 P.M. of January 24, 2006, allegedly to
visit/survey a parcel of land bought by his family in the area. Alarmed by
the presence of Cmdr. Said Pakiladatu's forces, residents moved out of the
area. Cmdr. Itum Ampatuan-a Brigade Commander of 106th Base Command under
Commander Adan, accused Cmdr. Pakiladatu of encroaching the area of
jurisdiction of the 106th Base Command without coordination. Cmdr.
Pakiladatu claimed he had asked permission from the MILF CCCH. The next
day, January 25, at around noon, a firefight between the two groups
ensued.

While the fighting in Brgy. Kayakaya was on going, at around 4 P.M.,
elements of 105th Base Command led by Cmdr. Malakal Mama engaged in a fire
fight elements of Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVO) in Brgy.
Nabundas, Mamasapano. Cmdr. Malakal and Cmdr. Wahid's group "..was on
their way to reinforce to my location in Brgy. Kayakaya our their exit
routes were already blocked by elements of the CAFGU's and CVO's in the
area loyal to Datu Andal…" commander Said Pakiladatu claimed. On the
contrary, both Major Resurreccion and Councilor Kashmir Ampatuan claimed
that …"the MILF forces [no mention of names] assaulted and raided the
warehouse in barangay Nabundas owned by a businessman named Busikong and
killed one CVO in the raid…"

Through dialogues and negotiations with both the conflicting parties and
the local government officials, on January 27, 2006 the GRP-MILF Joint
Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) and
International Monitoring Team (IMT) were able to subdue and de-escalated
the fighting. The forces of Cmdr. Said Pakiladatu were facilitated by the
IMT to be able to return back to their area of jurisdiction in Brgy.
Dapyawan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and the forces of Cmdr. Malakal Mama
retreated back to Brgy. Tapikan, Shariff Aguak.

Two days after, armed clashes resumed between elements of 105th Base
Command led by Cmdr. Malakal Mama, Cmdr. Hawn and elements of CAFGU's and
CVO's at the boundary of Brgy. Koloy and Brgy. Tapikan, Shariff Aguak,
Maguindanao. Both sides accused each other of trying to enter each others
jurisdiction/area of control. On the part of the LGU and 7th IB-PA "the
CAFGU's and CVO's are patrolling their area of jurisdiction to prevent
Cmdr. Malakal forces to enter the poblacion areas of Brgy. Koloy and
nearby communities. On the side of the 105th Base Command MILF-BIAF, Cmdr.
Malakal Mama is just "defending his home area in Brgy. Tapikan from the
advancing CAFGU's and CVO's." and "105th respects the ceasefire agreement
and we supports the peace process going on but it is also imperative for
us to protect MILF communities and civilians from the people who wanted to
occupy our lands" Cmdr. Hawn said in a phone conversation with Bantay
Ceasefire.

On January 30, elements of 7th IB-PA were deployed in the area for peace
keeping. "…we respect the ceasefire and we are here only for
peacekeeping and to protect civilian communities. We are just blocking the
MILF from harassing civilian communities. As you see the AFP did not use
its aerial and artillery support for the ground troops to drive them
away." Major Joevy Ressureccion told Bantay Ceasefire team. However, just
before Bantay Ceasefire arrived in the area Jan. 31, 2006, an element of
7th IB was hit in the leg by snipers in Sitio Kapok, Bgry. Koloy,
Mamasapano and exchange of mortar shelling was heard in the background.
Cmdr. Hawn claimed that they exchanged mortar fires with the AFP.

*_HRV & Civilian casualty/ies:_*

The armed clashes have resulted in the evacuation of nearly 32,000
civilians. Bashir Iskak, 9 year old boy was hit by stray bullet in Brgy.
Timbangan, Shariff Aguak. There is also unconfirmed reports of a 7 month
pregnant woman who died of shock during the first salvo of the fighting in
Brgy. Kayakaya, Datu Abdullah Sangki on Jan. 25, 2006.

_*Displaced Civilians:*_
Several barangays were totally displaced as a result of this weeklong
fighting between the 105th Base Command of the MILF and the paramilitary
CAFGU's and CVO's. These communities were Koloy, Tapikan, Lepok,
Bagongupam, Nabundas, Tina, Bialong, in Mamasapano and Barangay Kayaya in
Datu Abdullah Sangki. The evacuation areas are in Poblacion Shariff Aguak
, Poblacion Mamasapano, Libutan and Tukanalipao, Mamasapano; Dapyawan and
Kitango, Datu Saudi Ampatuan. Humanitarian agencies and NGOs have
difficulty in locating evacuees as most prefer to stay in their relatives
houses.

DSWD Maguindanao officially recorded a total of 6,395 families or 31, 975
individuals displaced civilians from four municipalities of
Mamasapano., Shariff Aguak, Datu Abdullah Sangki and Rajah Buayan. The
Mindanao Emergency Relief Network (MERN) is in the process of validating
and locating the evacuees at present.

_*Relief assistance:*_

DSWD – ARMM official record shows relief assistance to DSWD Maguindanao
300 sacks of rice, 100 boxes noodles, 50 boxes sardines, 22 boxes coffee
and 10 sacks rice. These goods were distributed to 3,200 families or
16,000 individuals.
Phil. National Red Cross (PNRC) had validated 400 plus families in Shariff
Aguak and scheduled to extend relief assistance today, Feb.01, 2006.


*_Findings of the Bantay Ceasefire Team:_*

Disputed:
1.Whether or not Commander Malakal Mama intentionally attacked the
warehouse of a certain Busikong in Barangay Nabundas or just passing by on
his way to reinforce Cmdr. Said Pakiladatu in Brgy. Kayakaya, Datu
Abdullah Sangki on Jan. 25, 2006.
2.Whether or not the elements of the CVO's and CAFGU's advanced to Brgy.
Tapikan, Mamasapano that triggered the renewed skirmishes on Jan. 29,
2006. 3.Whether or not the AFP engage the MILF (exchange of mortar
shelling forces in Tapikan on Jan. 31, 2006.
Undisputed:
1.That the first skirmishes started between 105th Base Command and 106th
Base Command of the MILF-BIAF in Brgy. Kayakaya, Datu Abdullah Sangki on
Jan. 25, 2006.
2.That the renewed fighting on January 29, 2006 was between Cmdr.
Malakal Mama and elements of CAFGU's and CVO's.
3.That thousands of civilians were displaced from their communities as a
result of this skirmishes.
4.No clearly defined "safe areas" for IDPs, thus the difficulty in
accounting for the numbers.
5.Inadequate relief assistance to evacuees.

_*Analysis:*_

Coordination Problem of the MILF Internal Command:
The clash between 105th Base Command MILF-BIAF and 106th Base Command
MILF-BIAF in on January 25, 2006 in Brgy. Kaykaya, Datu Abdullah Sangki
was an internal problem of the MILF Command coordination. The
intervention of paramilitary troops (CAFGU's and CVO's) in the said
conflict complicated the situation.

Clan Feud or "Rido" Angle:
The Brgy. Nabundas, Mamasapano clashes between Cmdr. Malakal Mama and
elements of CAFGU's and CVO's have two different angles to consider.
First, Cmdr. Malakal Mama tried to reinforce his comrade Cmdr. Said
Pakiladatu in Brgy. Kayakaya and on his way blocked and encountered the
CVO's and CAFGU's in Brgy. Nabundas. Second, Cmdr. Malakal Mama not really
intended to reinforce his forces to Brgy. Kayakaya but to assault a
warehouse in Brgy Nabundas, Mamasapano owned by a certain Busikong as the
two had had a standing clan feud. Bantay ceasefire learned from the
civilians interviewed that sometime in the past the son of Malakal was
shot and killed by the brother of Busikong and Malakal in revenge killed
the brother of Busikong. During the January 25, 2006 assault, another CVO
member identified with Busikong died.
The January 29, 2006 resumption of fighting in Brgy. Tapikan, Mamasapano
between 105th Base Command MILF-BIAF and elements of CAFGU's and CVO's
have bearing to larger scope of a long standing clan feud between local
politicians and elements of the 105th Base Command who happens to be
native residents of the area. Though publicly known, the local people do
not give details of this "rido" because these families are influential-
the Ampatuans as against Ustadz Amiril Kato and several of his men in the
105th Base Command MILF-BIAF – and the people fear getting involved in the
clan feud.

Implications of this "rido"(clan feud):

Political:
For the past three years since the bilateral re-declaration of ceasefire
between MILF and GRP on July 19, 2003, most cases of ceasefire related
violations in these areas of Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi
Ampatuan have in one way or the other have bearing on this Ampatuan-
Ustadz Amiril Umra Kato "rido" or clan feud. This clan feud had been an
irritant to the MILF-GRP ceasefire agreement as there have been cases that
the main forces of both AFP and MILF-BIAF particularly 105th Base Command
are dragged into the conflict.

Economic:
Civilian resources are depleted and properties destroyed. People have to
spend much resources in their efforts to rebuild destroyed/burned houses
after each repeated displacements. Government resources for economic and
social services development are also channeled to emergency relief
responses.

Socio-cultural:
As always the case, every time there are armed encounters between these
two warring clans, the locals take separate sides. Those identified with
the Ampatuans go to the poblacion areas of Shariff Aguak and Mamasapano,
while those siding with the 105th Base Command go mostly to the interior
areas. In most cases, these evacuees are seldom reached by relief
distributions either by the government or humanitarian NGO's. These
polarized situation further breaks down social cohesion.

_*BANTAY CEASEFIRE RECOMMENDATIONS:*_

1.For MILF to ensure command coordination of their ground commanders to
similar incidents in Brgy. Kayakaya.
2.For GRP-MILF forces on the ground to exercise restraint to avoid being
dragged into this local feud, thus violating the GRP-MILF ceasefire
agreement.
3.For all stakeholders (local governments, AFP, MILF, Civil Society
Organizations) to commend the efforts and give more support to the
ceasefire mechanisms (JCCCH, IMT and AHJAG), which have contributed to the
peace in Central Mindanao as proven by their interventions to
ceasefire-related incidents in the past.
4.For MILF-GRP leaders "as partners" to address and propose solutions to
the long standing conflict between the Ampatuans and Ustadz Amiril Kato,
as this conflict has affected the MILF-GRP peace process. Bantay
Ceasefire reiterates its previous recommendation for the convening of a
high-level mediating party to solve this conflict.
5.For the two parties involved in the "rido" to engage in dialogue once
and for all, in the name of Islamic peace, justice and reconciliation.
They should end this vicious cycle of meaningless violence and suffering
of innocent civilians which also blemishes the entire dignity of the
Islamic Ummah.

ANNEXES:

Local Government Authority in the Area:
Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan
Provincial Governor
Maguindanao Province

AFP Authority in the Area:
Col. Jerry Jalandoni
Commanding Officer
504th BDE-PA

MILF Command in the Area:
Commander Ustadz Amiril Umbra Kato
Base Commander
105th Base Command MILF-BIAF

Interviewees:
LGU:
Kashmir Ampatuan, Mun. Councilor of Shariff Aguak, Mag.
AFP:
Major Joevy Resurreccion, CO 7th IB-PA
MILF:
Commander Hawn, Brigade Commander, BIAF-105th Base Command
Commander Said Pakiladatu- Brigade Commander, BIAF-105th Base Command
Community People:
Bargy. Kagawad Zainudin Mamay, Brgy. Timbangan, Shariff Aguak, Mag. Romeo
Mamay, 46 years old, resident of Brgy. Timbangan
Bailada Salik, resident of Brgy. Timbangan
IDP's:
Magueb Sakar- IDP from Brgy. Koloy
Wahid Tingaw-IDP from Brgy. Koloy


*_Bantay Ceasefire Investigative Team:_*

Rexall Kaalim Initiatives for Intl Dialogue-Mindanao Peoples
Caucus(IID-MPC) Baileng Mantawil MPC
Maulana Datukali United youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD)-MPC
Esmail M. Anad do
Hadji Kamlon Pendi do
Moctar Ismael do
Mahmod M. Tolino do
Maureen Joy Mansares do



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--
IT Support Staff
Initiatives for International Dialogue
Linux Registered User #383849
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