Lumads caught in AFP-NPA conflict, says international group
The report is the highlight in the IDMC’s website (internal-displacement.[]
org) as of this writing, occupying the topmost spot.
The group noted that many of the NPA fighters are Lumads recruited in their communities in the mountains. “As a result the military tend to perceive and suspect Lumads of predominantly being NPA insurgents or supporters. As part of its counterinsurgency strategy the Army is also encouraging Lumad communities to form or join civil defence militias or paramilitary groups to help fight the NPA,” the report added.
“There are reports of violations of a number of human rights and of international humanitarian law (IHL).[]
These include indiscriminate bombardments, the use of schools as barracks and command centres, harassment, threats, forced labour, restricted freedom of movement and extra-judicial killings that are contributing to a climate of fear and insecurity and leading to displacements,” the report’s executive summary noted.
The IDMC noted that when the Lumads are displaced, their fields become neglected, leading to crop losses and failures. “Their homes are looted or destroyed during the fighting or immediate aftermath, and on returning, they are forced to rebuild from scratch. This cycle of violence and displacement is eroding their asset base and driving them deeper into poverty,” it added.
The group noted that while government agencies attend to displaced Lumads, “assistance tends to be short-term and often inadequate.”
Among the IDMC’s recommendations is for the government and the communist rebels to resume formal peace talks and thus spare the Lumads from the effects of war.
It likewise advised the military to regulate its entry to Lumad communities, and refrain from setting up camps within the communities or using schools as barracks or command centers.
