Food Blockade in Basilan: Who Will Suffer?

Philippine Marines - Pagadian News

In  an update from luwaran.com, it says that,

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has urged the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) to lift immediately the food blockade around Basilan, saying this will starve to death civilians instead of members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) who were tagged as the “beheaders” of the 14 Marines in Guinanta, Al Barka town in Basilan last July 10, 2007.

Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat, told Luwaran that the food blockade ordered by Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, chief of Task Force Thunder, tasked to capture the beheaders of the 14 Marines "dead or alive", is a violation of human rights and should be lifted immediately.

“You cannot kill the ASG by this food blockade because they can get food everywhere,” he pointed out, stressing that Basilan is the home province of the ASG and they have many relatives there.

            “The civilians are the victims here. It is an unethical approach.”

Meanwhile NDCC reported that there are already evacuees counted to more or less 12,000 people, or 3,000 families, have fled several villages in Al-Barka ahead of the fighting.

Last update : 10-01-2008 03:04

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