Seven years after under state of lawlessness, Basilan residents still fear continuing crackdown By Amirah Ali Lidasan

Seven years after under state of lawlessness, Basilan residents still fear continuing crackdown

By Amirah Ali Lidasan

ccun.org, July 15, 2008

Seven years after the declaration of Basilan under state of lawlessness, residents still live in fear that another massive crackdown would again be conducted in Basilan following reports that the Philippine Marines is renewing it's pursuit against extremist fighters suspected of killing 14 elements of a marine battalion landing team that conducted an operation in Al-Barkah town on July 10, 2007.

According to Amirah Ali Lidasan, national president of Suara Bangsamoro, her organization have gathered reports from the ground that additional names will be included in last year's list of warrant issued against 127 Basilan residents, ten of whom were religious leaders while five were already dead.

Some of those who were in the list, one of them a religious teacher, complained to the media about the inclusion of their names and vowed they were never members of any groups in Basilan nor were they involved in the Al-Barkah incidents.

Lidasan further said that while Marine commandant Major General Ben Dolorfino complains about justice being elusive against those who were killed at the Al-Barkah fighting, the marines should not retaliate against innocent civilian residents.

Lidasan also reminded Major General Dolorfino that for seven years justice remained elusive for the civilian residents of Basilan who were arrested, tortured and detained when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared Basilan under state of lawlessness.

The intensive military crackdown conducted from July 13-15 in 2001, resulted to more than 150 arrests of civilians, torture of 28 civilians, summary killing of more than 10 civilians accused of supporting the Abu Sayyaf and displacement of more than 70,000 residents of then eight towns of Basilan.

Lidasan said that further said that her organization fear that President Arroyo's visit in the United States last month was aimed at gaining more support for her anti-terror policies in the country and to present again "usual suspects" another crackdown would again be conducted in Moro areas.

As a way of remembering the victims of crackdown and helping the victims pursue justice and to seek for the release of those arrested, Suara Bangsamoro and Liga ng Kabataan Moro will be conducting forums in key cities of Mindanao on July 14, 2008. The forums will feature all victims of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's anti-war policy including a review of the effect of the one-year implementation of the Human Security Act to the Moro people.

"The Moro people is the most understood people when it seeks and fights for justice. But just like the rest of the impoverished Filipino people, justice remains more elusive as the government continue to brew conflict and inflict fear to Moro civilians and close its doors to peace talks with the revolutionary groups in Mindanao," said Lidasan.

Amirah Ali Lidasan, national president of Suara Bangsamoro.

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