Moro group warns gov't vs. all-out war policy

COTABATO CITY -Suara Bangsamoro todaycautioned Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)Ggovernor Mujiv Hataman in his all-out war announcement against the AbuSayyaf in Basilan, expressing fearcivilians will be the end losers.Amirah Ali Lidasan, Suara Bangsamoronational chairperson, said her groupbelieved that such policy is prone to abuse of powerby the authorities and would lead to more cases of human rightsviolations such as massive displacement of residents, death due tostrafing and indiscriminate firing, destruction of properties,exposing women and children to harm.Hataman who was in Basilan to visit the project the government forces were securing was reported to have suggested an all-out military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf who killed six soldiers Sunday morning.Lidasan saidbased on previous all-out wardeclarations, the civilians, their properties and livelihoodthat were affected by the military assault.Lidasan noted that since year 2000, the government has been unleashinga full force attack against the Abu Sayyaf, with the help of US troopsdeployed in the area through Balikatan Exercises, yet the biggestcasualties have been the civilians while the real Abu Sayyaf continuetheir criminal activities.Lidasan also acussed Hataman of contradicting himself when two yearsago he and the other ARMM governors said 'never again' to all-out warpolicy in dealing with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).Lidasan reminded Hataman that in the previous military operationsagainst the Abu Sayyaf, there were also reports of military clasheswith the MILF who were also in the mountainous area of Basilan.In year 2000, the death of one of theMoro National Liberation Front (MNLF)commanders as a result of the spill over of hot pursuit operations”against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu by the Philippine Armybecame one of the reasons for the fall-out in the peace process between the government and the MNLF.Lidasan also reminded the public that the reason why the Abu Sayyafthrives is because of the previous reports of collusion” betweenstate authorities and the Abu Sayyaf over the ransom money paid byvictims of Abu Sayyaf kidnapping.Lidasan further called for an investigation in the latest series ofAbu Sayyaf kidnapping and issues of payment of ransom as the reasonfor their release.