 |
Eight civilians, including two
children and two teenagers, and an off-duty soldier were killed early
Monday (February 4, 2008) during a military raid on a suspected Abu Sayyaf
hideout on a fishing village in Maimbung, Sulu.
Civilians killed in the incident are Eldisin Lahim, 35; Kera Lahim, 40;
Duni Lahim and Pfc Ibnul Wahid of the Armys 6th Infantry Division
who was said to be on vacation when killed, all of them male; Narsiya Ben,
28, and her husband Ben, 33; Alnalyn Kira, 21 and Sernalyn Kimar, around 4
to five years old.
|
 |
|
PRESS RELEASE
February 11, 2008
Suara Bangsamoro calls for
justice to victims
of US-led Sulu massacre, says perpetrators must be sentenced to death
in accordance with Islamic Laws
Davao City Members of Suara Bangsamoro along with Khadidja Moro-women
organization of Davao and Liga ng Kabataang Moro stage a protest action
today to denounce the massacre in Maimbung, Sulu believed to be under the
command of the US troops last February 4.
Suara Bangsamoro-Southern Mindanao acting Spokesperson, Hermeine Arendain
said that the incident that happened last Monday is a concrete proof of a
US-RP military sponsored terrorism under the guise of war against
"terrorists".
"The US and the AFP have been treating Muslims as terrorists and we have
been the common victims of their attacks. They can never hide the truth
that they are the real terrorists," he said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines have announced recently the suspension
of more than 50 soldiers including three officers of the US-trained Army
Light Reaction Company ( LRC) in line with the on going investigation into
the death of eight (8) civilians including two children and a pregnant
woman.
Arendain, pointing the past incidents of massacre in Moro communities,
believes that there will be a big possibility of "whitewash" with the
AFP's investigation.
Arendain challenges the AFP and the Arroyo government to grant the capital
punishment to those soldiers who are culpable of this massacre. He
stressed that this crime is punishable by death under the Shari'ah Laws in
Islam.
"The US government have been commanding this puppet regime and its armed
forces to terrorize our communities and massacre our brothers and sisters.
We will never just wait and count more victims of this RP-US terror
partnership" he said.
Suara Bangsamoro is also calling for the immediate pull-out of the US
troops in Mindanao who have been here for the Joint US-RP military
exercises. The group, along with other progressive organizations, will
lead simultaneous protests against the continuous presence of US troops in
the country.
For reference:
Hermeinne Arendain
Suara Bangsamoro
Download statement
Inquirer: AFP general held responsible for massacre
ZAMBOANGA CITY The
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Western Mindanao said the military
commander in Sulu was responsible for the Feb. 4 massacre in Maimbung
town, where at least eight people including two children and a pregnant
woman were killed.
|
 |
 |
PRESS STATEMENT
February 13, 2008
BAYAN foresees whitewash in the AFP-led investigation
on the massacre in Maimbung,
Sulu; holds US forces accountable
The Armed Forces of the Philippines-led probe in the massacre of eight
(8) civilians, which includes three children, in Maimbung, Sulu will
only produce implausible results aimed to absolve Philippine troops
and downplay US role in that barbaric crime. The suspension of fifty
(50) rank and file soldiers who were implicated in the massacre
appears like a shoddy "press release" of the Western Mindanao Command
that seeks to diffuse public outrage brought about by the terror
instigated by US and Philippine forces. These perpetrators will
continue to wreak havoc in communities with impunity.
United States forces have been training our troops under the Terms of
Reference of the Visiting Forces Agreement for more or less a decade
now. With the promise of enhancing Filipino troops' capability to
combat terrorism, the national government hastily approved the VFA
amidst public opposition. Under the US-RP Balikatan Program, the
government had only created a nightmare that the Filipino people
continued to live on. The massacre in Sulu brutally carried out by US
and Philippine forces is just one of human rights violations' cases
that haven't been resolved until now. Thus, we enumerate some of the
cases of gross violations of people's rights instigated directly or
indirectly by US forces:
Year 2000: two children died in Atlas, Toledo after an undiffused
bomb used by US forces in their military exercises suddenly exploded.
From January to July of year 2002, more or less 200 Moro civilians
were locked up in jail in preparation to Balikatan exercises
In June of 2004, a 19 year old Moro student, Arseed Baharun, was
accidentally hit by a stray bullet coming from US ammunitions in a
gunnery range in Zamboanga City
An M203 shrapnels hit Bizma Juhan of Indanan, Sulu after a test fire
mission was conducted by the US military in Brgy. Tagbak of the said
municipality.
Last September 2007, residents of Malungon in Sarangani Province
reported about US forces bringing high-powered guns in a restaurant,
which has terrorized people.
Apart from the cases mentioned above, there are other instances of
human rights' violations that were not recorded because the
complainants were bribed to sign "settlement papers" and declined to
file legal actions. Like other cases, perpetrators of these crimes
continue to enjoy the protection of the state - a glaring picture on
how our souls have been sold to the whims and caprices of the United
States.
US Forces Should be Held Accountable in the Sulu Massacre
The role of US Special Operations Forces in the massacre in Maimbung,
Sulu should not be put into the sideline and instead, should be given
emphasis in the course of an independent investigation. The DND and
the AFP's investigation, in their effort to cover up the incident, is
highly dubious since they never mentioned of investigating US forces
who were seen by the wife of Cpl. Idno Wahid, one of the fatalities in
the massacre, in the place of the crime together with Filipino troops.
Like previous cases of US involvement in combat operations, the
Philippine government, in collaboration with the US embassy, will
simply deny these allegations, downplay it in the media and divert it
into other angle until the issue is totally forgotten.
Enough of US Atrocities!
The US forces are conducting humanitarian missions in the provinces of
Lanao and Maguindanao. While giving "aspirin", which is even
criticized for giving it without a doctor's prescription, in depressed
areas, they are also instigating blood bath in various communities,
which is much of the price that we should pay for the "bogus aid"
they've extended to us. Thus, we call on:
Congress, both the House of
Representatives and Senate, to hold
parallel investigation on the massacre perpetrated by our local troops
and the US involvement in this barbaric act.
Various organizations, which come from different persuasions, to
unite and act against US renewed attacks against the Filipino people
The people to join mass actions during the opening ceremony of
Balikatan exercises in Lanao del Sur as our expression of outrage
against US atrocities
|
