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A Monthly Newsletter of the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center, Inc.

(MinHRAC)
Vol. 1 No. 1 COTABATO CITY NOVEMBER 2010

MinHRAC Inaugurates MinHRAC Completes


Headquarters, Celebrates Eid with Implementation of Civilian Protection
Partner NGOs Component of Early Recovery Project
for 10 Barangays

T
he Mindanao Human Rights Action Center, Inc.
(MinHRAC) inaugurated its headquarters on MinHRAC recently completed the incorporation of a
November 18 this year through a simple ceremony civilian protection component in the Early Recovery
attended by representatives from the International Project for ten (10) barangays in seven municipalities of
Monitoring Team (IMT), the Coordinating Committees on the Maguindanao worst affected by of the 2008-2009 war.
Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of both the Government of This project was commissioned by UNDP-Act for Peace
the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Programme.
Liberation Front (MILF), diplomats, AFP, PNP, UN
humanitarian agencies, and local and international non- The goals of the project were: to help the evacuees
governmental organizations (NGOs). Previously, MinHRAC recover from the difficulties that they had to go through
was hosted by one of its convenor organizations – the during evacuation; rebuild social cohesion among
Bangsamoro Women’s Solidarity Forum, Inc. (BWSF) – as its community stakeholder; raise their awareness of the
temporary office. dynamics of the conflict; increase the awareness of the
local stakeholders on International Human Rights Laws
MinHRAC was established last year by twelve (12) NGOs and Culture of Peace; and to form the Civilian Protection
active in the conflict affected areas of Mindanao to pool and Team (CPT) from the 10 identified barangays.
coordinate their efforts in the field of human rights promotion
and defense. On the very day of its launching in December These barangays include those in the towns of Datu
17, 2009, it entered into a partnership agreement with the Anggal, Talayan, Guindulungan, Datu Salibu, Sarif
country’s Commission on Human Rights (CHR). Later on, it Saiduna, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, and Datu Piang where
got the nod of the negotiating peace panels of both the GRP the IDPs have already returned.
and MILF for MinHRAC to be a member of the Civilian
Protection Component of the IMT. To implement the project, the beneficiary barangays were
oriented on the Early Recovery and Rehabilitation Projects
MinHRAC, despite young age, has already helped in a (ERP) of the Act for Peace Programme through a social
number of HRV cases. It has also been involved in preparation/community visitation conducted by the
documenting HRVs, assists in seeking humanitarian MinHRAC project staff from July 27 to September 16 this
assistance to the victims and in working with other Human year. The participants were briefed on the Protection
Rights agencies for the furthering these cases in courts. Component of the International Monitoring Team’s
Civilian (IMT-CPC).
For Attorney Zainudin Malang, MinHRAC Executive
Director, the realization of the inaugural ceremony is an The beneficiary barangays warmly received the project’s
accomplishment not only for the MinHRAC but for the goal empowering their communities on civilian protection
convenors as well as it shows that a Moro NGO can be at par
with other big organizations. MinHRAC completes… PAGE 2

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MinHRAC completes… from page 1
MinHRAC ED Speaks
monitoring. They selected twenty nine (29) representatives Before Minda-Wide Media Summit
to undergo training. These trainees were later on trained
on the subjects of International Humanitarian Law, MinHRAC Executive Director Attorney Zainudin Malang
Unexploded Ordinance (UXO), monitoring and spoke during the 6th Mindanao Media Summit held on
documenting, the CPC and its important function in the November 5 to 7 in Davao City for the International
peace process, and a seminar on the role of MinHRAC in Monitoring Team’s Civilian Protection Component (IMT-
the IMT-CPC. CPC) of the GRP-MILF Peace Process.

Mindanao Media Summit is the annual gathering of


Mindanao’s mass media community – editors, news
correspondents, radio and TV station managers.

Atty. Malang familiarized the group on the roles that the


CPC and its members play in the peace process between
the government and the MILF. He emphasized the crucial
role of the media in generating among the public an
adequate knowledge of the conflict. He complimented
Mindanao’s media although those in Manila still have to
play their role, he added. Worse, some become unwitting
participants to misinformation by peace spoilers rather
than enlightening the public.

Also in participation were the GRP and MILF Peace Panel


Chairs, the IMT Head of Mission, the Joint CCCH, the Ad
The women IDPs expressed willingness to take part in the
CPT monitoring. Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), representative from the
International Contact Group (ICG) and from All-Women
CPC.

EDITORIAL BOARD

Atty. Zainudin S. Malang


Executive Editor/Writer

Tarhata A. Sambutuan
Editor-in-Chief/Writer

Atty. Rasol Y. Mitmug, Jr.


Managing Editor/Writer

The MinHRAC Civilian Protection monitors take ownership of Makakua M. Buat


the HR issues since they themselves have been, in one way Circulation Supervisor
or another, victims of HR violations.

Upon completion of their training, the monitors were The Mindanao Human Rights Action Center, Inc. (MinHRAC) is
immediately made part of MinHRAC’s civilian protection an active member of the Civilian Protection Component of the
International Monitoring Team (IMT-CPC) of the Government
network. MinHRAC has already established ten (10) Field
of the Republic of the Philippines and Moro Islamic Liberation
Monitoring Coordinating Centers to coordinate the
Front (GRP-MILF) Peace Process.
monitoring of the different conflict affected provinces. These
coordinating centers are in the areas of Kutawato (Cotabato MinHRAC is an accredited NGO-
City and 3 satellite offices), Ranaw (Marawi City), partner of the Commission on
Samboangan (Zamboanga City), Rajah Buayan (General Human Rights (CHR) of the
Santos City), Basilan (Lamitan, Basilan) Dabaw (Davao City) Philippines.
Sibugay (Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur), and Sulu
(Jolo, Sulu).
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MinHRAC Civilian Protection Monitors
Helps Fill Data Gathering Gaps
“There is still a lot to be done to be able to provide a
reliable and comprehensive data on the conflict,” said
MinHRAC Executive Director Attorney Zainudin Malang
during the Stakeholders Forum on Mindanao Conflict
Monitoring Processes organized by the World Bank in
partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on
the Peace Process on October 11, 2010.

The forum engaged the key actors in conflict monitoring to


share their experiences and to involve the civil society,
academia, and the government in the design and MinHRAC works together with the 8 Regional Management
Committees of one of its convenors – the CBCS. Photo
application of an appropriate the conflict monitoring
above is with the RMC for Zamboanga City.
database.

Atty. Malang read a paper he wrote on the experiences and mandated the International Monitoring Team (IMT) which
challenges faced by the conflict monitors in Mindanao. works closely with the Joint Ceasefire Committees of the
World Bank’s Coordinator for the State and Peacebuilding GRP and the MILF.
Fund Program Robert Wrobel shared the conflict
monitoring experience in Aceh. Rexall Kaalim of But the IMT only has around a total of 40 monitors
Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus also gave his insights. contributed by the governments of Malaysia, Brunei,
Libya, and Japan to monitor 13 conflict affected provinces.
In his presentation, Atty. Malang stressed that the conflict
in the Bangsamoro areas is by far the most severe among Atty. Malang believes that the residents of the conflict–
the conflicts in Mindanao in terms of the number of violent affected areas is a huge yet untapped monitoring resource
incidents and its impact on civilians. Unfortunately, he that can complement the limited manpower of the IMT. In
added, reliable data on the conflict is lacking any conflict incident in their area “they are the first to
know, in the best position to interpret it and have the
Data generation is difficult for a number of reasons. biggest interest in reporting it,” added Atty. Malang.
Among those that he specified are physical access to the
areas compounded by lack of communication facilities in With these in mind, the MinHRAC tapped into grassroots
the conflict affected villages; security concerns; defining non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and peoples’
the strategy of monitoring, and the dilemma of organizations (POs) to form the backbone or its
determining whether the incident is part of the conflict monitoring. These NGOs and POs have contributed their
between the military and the mainstream Moro Liberation grassroots network to MinHRAC’s civilian protection
Movements. monitoring system. To more effectively and efficiently
coordinate their activities throughout the entire conflict
All these contribute to poor data generation resulting to affected region, ten (10) Field Monitoring Coordinating
the discrepancies in the conflict incident reports. Both the Centers were established.
government and the MILF see the need for a reliable and
impartial monitoring system. Thus, they created and With this system in place, the MinHRAC is already able to
timely refer ceasefire violation reports to the IMT and the
Joint CCCH while non-security related needs of civilians
are immediately referred to partner humanitarian
organizations. As a sitting member of the ad-hoc
coordinating bodies for the various humanitarian aid
agencies operating in the conflict affected areas (Protection
Working Group and Mindanao Humanitarian Team), the
MinHRAC is in a position to convey the humanitarian
needs of the grassroots to the agencies concerned.

“The key to sustaining the interest of the grassroots in


conflict monitoring is to show them that there is
something in it for them and not just for those who obtain
the output of their monitoring.” Atty. Malang said.
Inconsistent data generation also affects the delivery of relief
services to the evacuees. Civilian Protection … PAGE 4
Jaga Kawagib 3
Civilian Protection … from page 3 a lead that he was brought there. However, the team
learned that he is no longer there and is already at a
The MinHRAC believes that membership in the Civilian military camp in Metro Manila. In addition to
Protection Component of the GRP-MILF Peace Process can MinHRAC, a lawyer from the Mindanao Peoples Caucus,
give these communities an empowering tool by which they another member organization of the CPC, was also at
can communicate their security, human rights, and Gen. Santos to offer its help to the family. One of
humanitarian concerns to the groups most responsible or MinHRAC’s allied organization that provides legal aid is
having the most impact on such concerns. now handling this case. Interviews by the lawyer
revealed the infliction of serious physical abuse on the
This is probably where MinHRAC can offer something in detainee, including electrocution.
return to the communities it monitors. After all,
MinHRAC’s traces its origin to the grassroots and it is only Another high profile case in which MinHRAC’s help was
appropriate that they be its first and foremost clientele. sought is the recent rape case in Maguindanao of a
medical personnel. Attorney Anwar Malang, MinHRAC
Chairman of the Board immediately provided legal
MinHRAC Provides counseling to the IPHO-ARMM health chief provided on
what recourse are available.
Legal Intervention Services
The MinHRAC has been engaged to provide emergency legal
aid ever since its inception. More recently, however, this aid
has been systematized under the Humanitarian/Human
Rights Quick Response Department. Together with its
Civilian Protection/Human Rights Department are the core
programs of MinHRAC.

Since the first quarter of this year, the MinHRAC provided


legal counseling and legal assistance to victims of illegal
arrests, torture, rape, and recently, land disputes. Some of
these cases are the following (note: names have purposely PNP Personnel preventing access to MinHRAC to
been made fictitious): see the illegal detainees.

In March, the family of brothers Abdul and Kader who were The month of October saw two cases being brought to
arrested in Manila together with a person named Fahad the attention of MinHRAC is the arrest without
sought the help of MinHRAC in filing their counter-affidavit. warrants of four men in Cotabato City supposedly as
The parents of the brothers were afraid that their sons may suspects for a bus bombing incident. Two of those
have been tortured. MinHRAC immediately contacted its arrested were released the same day but the other two
volunteer lawyers’ in Manila to conduct immediate prison remained. Attempts by the family, accompanied by a
visitation, together with the Commission on Human Rights staff of the CHR and MinHRAC’s team of lawyers,
(CHR). The CHR’s medico-legal report confirmed signs of volunteer doctor, and HR volunteers to immediately see
serious physical abuse, some of which coincide with the and confer with the two were repeatedly denied by the
detainees’ claims of electrocution. arresting officers of the North Cotabato PNP who had
custody. It was only when custody of the two were
On September 13, a certain Badruddin was arrested in Datu transferred that the two could finally be examined and
Salibo, Maguindanao. Fearful of possible abuse of their son, interviewed. They complained of serious physical
the parents immediately sought the help of MinHRAC which, injuries inflicted during the time that their family,
together with the father and a staff of the CHR, conducted an lawyers, and doctor were prevented from seeing them.
immediate visitation at a detention facility in Cotabato City.
Bruises were seen on the Badruddin’s body. A few nights The other case in October involved a man on a
after his arrest, he was brought to a military camp in Manila motorcycle who was stopped and arrested at a
where he was subjected to more serious physical abuse. checkpoint in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao without a
MinHRAC coordinated with the Metro Manila office of the warrant being shown to him. Interview with witnesses
CHR to provide on-site assistance. A well-known revealed that no warrant was shown. MinHRAC, in
international NGO was also tapped to provide medical coordination with the CHR, immediately traced the
examination as well as assisting the family of the detainee whereabouts of the detainee since the captors did not
visit him. say where they are taking him. The detainee was
eventually traced at CIDG in Cotabato City. It was
Also on September, a certain Alvin was arrested in Davao learned that he was taken for a warrant issued in the
City. His family immediately sought the assistance of name of another person. The person was released on
MinHRAC which promptly went to General Santos to follow the same day that CHR and MinHRAC intervened.

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