Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Cabaero: Synonyms for war By Nini B. Cabaero Beyond 30
THERE are many synonyms for war. ”Peace” or the “effort to restore peace” is one, “conflict” is another, and a declaration of a “virtual war” yet another.
These substitutes for the word “war” have cropped up lately to describe incidents in parts of Mindanao following the failure of the planned homeland deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The situation worsened Monday when government forces escalated their attacks on MILF areas after persons believed to be Moro rebels burned houses, looted stores and killed civilians in attacks in the southern towns of Lanao del Norte province.
As of Monday noon, at least 22 persons were reported killed in attacks blamed on a renegade MILF commander.
President Arroyo went on national television and declared she would not allow the rebels to continue to challenge government’s bid to maintain peace and order in the south. ”Because of these sneaky and treacherous attacks, as your commander-in-chief, I have ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine
National Police to defend every inch of Philippine territory against MILF forces and immediately restore peace in the affected areas in Lanao del Norte. We will not tolerate and we will crush any attempt to disturb peace and development in Mindanao,” she said.
The defending of the territory and the restoring of peace required the fielding of soldiers and policemen to pursue the rebels, and the evacuation of hundreds of homes.
Military Chief General Alexander Yano said the inability of the MILF leadership to reign in this renegade commander is proof of the “insincerity about the peace process of a significant portion” of the rebel organization.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the attacks were carried out by a renegade commander, Abdullah Macapaar, without the approval of the MILF lea-dership. Other than disowning the actions of this renegade commander, the MILF spokesman did not give details on what the organization intended to do to keep their soldiers in line.
General Yano said the rebel leader’s action was a declaration of a “virtual war against the duly constituted authority.” He added, “We cannot allow ambuscades, arson, kidnapping, hostage-taking, blocking of main highways and other atrocities to be perpetrated ... against the Filipino people.”
By Monday afternoon, the military said the rebels have left the province but have taken with them civilians to be used as human shields against pursuing government forces.
Left in their wake were images of burning buildings and homes and of bodies left on the streets, scenes originally viewed only in known war areas like Iraq and in Georgia during its recent fight with Russia.
It was Lanao del Norte and the accounts of witnesses gave images of bodies hacked by machetes, human skin and body parts on the streets, black smoke coming out of burning houses and market stores, and civilians running away from the attackers.
President Arroyo, General Yano and the MILF have avoided the word “war” to describe what is happening in these targeted parts of Mindanao, but, to those civilians who lost loved ones and property, those synonyms for war could not adequately describe their suffering.
