Tuesday, September 02, 2008 US-based NGO conducts relief operations in Mindanao
THE Asia America Initiative (AAI), a non-government organization, is distributing Tuesday more than $500,000 in humanitarian aid to evacuees displace by the recent outbreak of hostilities in Mindanao.
AAI Director Albert Santoli and his Philippine coordinator, Rohaniza Sumndad, will spearhead the humanitarian mission aimed to assists local humanitarian agencies attending to the thousands of evacuees at the different evacuation centers.
Sumndad said the humanitarian aid was donated by multiple organizations in the United States and in the Philippines with the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and North Cotabato as well as the Philippine National Red Cross and local government health agencies and private doctors as the on-site service providers.
The AAI, which is also conducting development for peace project in Sulu, noted that the intensified fighting in the Mindanao between three factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels and the armed forces has caused more than 200,000 villagers to flee their homes.
The outbreak of hostilities started the faction of rebels from the MILF's 102nd, 103rd, and 105th Base Commands have attacked and occupied last month several towns in the provinces of North Cotabato and Lanao.
Thousands of government troops were poured into the two provinces to drive away and pursue the rebels headed by Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo, Sulayman Pangalian, and Ameril Umbra Kato alias Commander Kato.
In addition, Santoli said the AAI is partnering with the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) to create "peace gardens" in public schools and farming cooperatives as a means to deter the spread of communal violence in the areas inhabited both by Muslim and Christian families.
"There is an urgent need not only to provide assistance to the growing number of displaced families, but also to prevent the spread of violence in areas of Mindanao surrounding the conflict zones" Santoli said.
To prevent food shortages, Santoli said it is imperative for farmers to receive seeds and fertilizers.
"Although our effort can only serve a portion of the affected populations, we hope it will be an inspiration for private and government agencies to remember the good people of Mindanao who are caught in the crossfire," he added. (Bong Garcia)
