THE 60-man delegation of the Peace and Humanitarian Mission in Central Mindanao composed of progressive and civil society groups left for Maguindanao on Tuesday to conduct relief operations and investigations in war-torn areas.
Bai Ali Indayla, of Kawagib Moro Human Rights Organization, told Sun.Star Davao in an interview during the send-off at the Freedom Park in Roxas Ave., Davao City, that they have received reports from the civil society group Suara Bangsamoro citing that around 50,000 individuals or 8,236 families have been displaced in the 11 municipalities of Maguindanao and Cotabato provinces affected by the all-out offensive launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
Indayla said they will conduct relief operations, psychosocial intervention on the displaced individuals especially on women and children as well as psychosocial interventions.
"Ang communities na pupuntahan namin include Barangay Salbu at Dapiawan sa Datu Saudi-Ampatuan and Barangay Timbangan sa Shariff Aguak. Dito kasi iyong mga areas na dumagsa ang mga bakwits and at the same time ito rin madaling maabot. Di gaanong marami ang mabibigay naming relief since konti lang din kami and konti lang din ang time sa pagkalap ng mga donations. Pero hopefully this will not be the first and sana madagdagan pa sa mga susunod na batch," Indayla said.
She added that if time and security would permit, they will send in documentation teams to the town of Mamasapano to check the status of evacuees there.
Bayan-Southern Mindanao Region secretary general Sheena Duazo, in a separate interview, said they will verify reports on the continually growing number of evacuees, civilian casualties and damages to civilian structure.
"Nakadawat mi ug initial reports nga ang ginabuhat didto kay indiscriminate bombing kay dili daw calculated ang pagdrop sa bomba samot na tong mortar shelling. So civilian gyud ang madamay ani kay populated man ni nga mga communities (We received initial reports that what they are doing there is indiscriminate bombing since the dropping of bombs is not calculated and all the more the mortar shelling. So civilians would be part of the collateral damage since these are populated communities)," Duazo said.
Kim Gargar of Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao said they will confirm reports on human rights violations, claiming some of the military personnel allegedly locked out civilians out of their own homes and were barred from going back to their respective houses.
He added that an exploration on the untapped resources of the Liguasan Marsh may have already taken place in the guise of the all-out offensive against the BIFF yet they will have to verify it as well.
The Missionaries of Jesus led by Arsen Sumegang will also assist in the Peace and Humanitarian Mission in Central Mindanao.
The relief and fact-finding mission will start today while they are set to return to Davao on Friday.
Duazo said the presentation of the data gathered in the war-torn areas is set on March 18 in time for the commemoration of the Jabidah Massacre which took place 47 years ago.