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ICRC urges villagers to link up with their staff on reported violation of IHL

By Malu Cadelina-Manar

| October 18, 2010 - 8:06 am

KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/17 October) — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has urged villagers in North Cotabato and Maguindanao towns to link up with their staff in cities of Cotabato and Davao and their partner organizations, so that reports of alleged violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in their areas would be studied and later investigated.

Anastasia Isyuk, communication coordinator of the ICRC in the Philippines, stressed in a media conference in General Santos City on Saturday that promotion of IHL is their priority task.

According to the ICRC, IHL is a set of rules which seek, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict.

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“We have (personnel) in the region to look into the matter.

I suggest those affected by these reported IHL violations raise their concerns to our staff in areas near them,” said Isyuk.

ICRC has personnel in the cities of Cotabato, General Santos, and Davao.

“The ICRC has also partnered with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in the region in assisting families displaced by the conflict,” she stressed.

Issues, including Republic Act 9851, the law passed in 2009 that protects and penalizes serious violations of IHL, were discussed during the media workshop on IHL and reporting of conflict held at the Family Country Hotel and Convention Center in General Santos City on October 16.

Isyuk of ICRC and Red Batario, consultant for Southeast Asia of the International News Safety Institute, were among the speakers.

(Malu Cadelina-Manar/MindaNews)