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From the ICRC's regional conference for media in East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific. 13-14 October 2011 in Manila, Philippines. For more info, see http://www.facebook.com/ReportingOnViolence.AsiaPacific (Individual speeches and presentations do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC.)#mediamanila2011
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Carolyn O. ArguillasMindaNewsICRC14 Oct 11
“The Role of Media in protection of the most vulnerable”
Covering victims of armed conflict: the Mindanao experience
Who lived where in Mindanao 1894. Areas shaded in red are rich in gold and high-value minerals
Basics data from www.nscb.gov.ph
ProvincesPhilippines Mindanao % 80 26* 31.25
Cities138 33 23.91
Population (as of Aug 1, 2007)
Philippines Mindanao % 88,542,991 21,582,540 24.37
Mindanao18 Lumad ethnolinguistic groups (non-Moro/Muslim IPs)13 Moro ethnolinguistic groups (Moro/Muslim IPs)
21.5 million out of 101 M (est. 2011) Philippine population Predominanly Christian poulation 17% Moro/Muslims8.5% Lumads
Images violence war kidnappings
bombings terrorism poor massacreevacuations
hopelessness
Mindanao is-home to more than half of the country’s armed forces;- home to all Moro liberation fronts (MNLF, MILF)- home to the largest concentration of communist guerrillas (CPP-NPA-NDF) now referred to by the Aquino administration as C-N-N)*- home to the Abu Sayyaf- home to private armies**- breeding ground for military rebels
* CNN is nationwide** also nationwide
So much more about Mindanao than these
GPH-MILF
2000 “all out war”: nearly a million 2003 Buliok war: a little over 400,0002008 post-MOA-AD war: 600,000 +++
GPH: Government of the Republic of the PhilippinesMILF: Moro Islamic Liberation Front
Mindanao’s 600,000 IDPs in 2008 is biggest worldwide DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/02 May 2009) – The internal displacement of 600,000 residents in Mindanao last year due to renewed skirmishes between government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas was “the biggest new displacement in the world” out of 4.2 million newly displaced in 2008, the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) said in its April 2009 report launched May 1 in New York.
The number of Mindanao IDPs – 600,000 at the height of skirmishes last year -- is higher than the “massive new displacements” in Sudan (550,000), Kenya (500,000), Democratic Republic of Congo (at least 400,000), Iraq (360,000), Pakistan (over 310,000), Somalia (300,000), Colombia (270,000 to June 2008), Sri Lanka (230,000) and India (over 220,000).
* only involving GPH-MILF displacement
GPH-NDF
nationwidelargest concentration of NPA (New Peoples Army) in Mindanao (Compostela Valley/Caraga region)mass displacements
GPH: Government of the Republic of the PhilippinesNDF: National Democratic Front
Victims of war*immediate effects of armed conflict Direct - displaced, caught in crossfire- in evacuation centers- outside evacuation centers (home-based; with relatives)
Victims of war*immediate effects of armed conflict
Indirect within area*commerce stopped; transport stopped (tricycle, jeepney drivers); schooling stopped, etc.. Indirect outside immediate area:*flow of goods and people affected, etc..
“The victims in Pikit were victims of a calamity decided by fellow human beings. As a man-made calamity, it belongs to humans the decision whether to stop it or to continue it for the sake of the civilian victims. I could have wished that the media had played an adversarial role, as it always claims it (does) in challenging the decision of the government to break the peace by waging another war while the peace talks were going on and while the ceasefire was holding.” - Fr. Roberto C. Layson, OMI
Parish priest, Pikit, 2003
“The most tragic story of the 2000 and 2003* wars in the southern and central parts of mainland Mindanao is that both wars, having been waged in the midst of peace talks, could have been prevented if only the public were not kept ignorant by media.” - Carolyn O. Arguillas, 2006
*the same could be said of the 2008 war
Cost of War
The Armed Conflict The Armed Conflict and Its Impactand Its Impact
Source: Source: Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, former Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008
1970-1996 – MNLF vs AFP: 100,000 -120,000 perished, 50%
MNLF, 30% AFP, 20% civilian P73B spent by Government on
war materiel
Cost of War
The Armed Conflict The Armed Conflict and Its Impactand Its Impact
Source: Source: Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008 2000 – “All-out-War” in Mindanao cost
the government P20 Million per day or a total of P1.337 Billion during the whole period.
AFP personnel losses: 431 KIA and 624 WIA
Damage to infrastructure: P202M Damage to agriculture: P124.76M
Cost of War
The Armed Conflict The Armed Conflict and Its Impactand Its Impact
Source: Source: Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008
2003 – “Buliok Offensives” P46.8 M worth of damage to
crops, livestock and fisheries; P130 M worth of damage to
infrastructure
Cost of War
The Armed Conflict The Armed Conflict and Its Impactand Its Impact
Source: Source: Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the Presentation of Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008former AFP Chief of Staff , 7 August 2008
AMMO TYPE ROUNDS SPENT
COST
5.56 MM (Ball) 212,019 P 2.39M
7.62 MM linked 53667 P 1.15M
7.62 MM (Ball) 26821 P 0.41M
40 MM (M203) 2407 P 3.86M
Hand grenade 126 P 0.08M
Rifle grenade 356 P 0.08M
CAL 30 LMG 10348 P 0.59M
CAL 50 HMG (linked) 16967 P 0.10M
CAL 50 (Ball) spotting 1200 P 2.96M
81 MM Mortar 799 P 3.71M
90MM RR 448 P 8.71M
25MM 300 P 0.09M
AMMO SPENT BY 6TH INF BN DURING BULIOK OFFENSIVE
TOTAL TOTAL AMMO AMMO
SPENT BY SPENT BY JUST A JUST A SINGLE SINGLE
BATTALION:BATTALION:P 20.51MP 20.51M
The (other) killing fields
The Visible Cost of War
-Mass evacuation -Civilians, mostly children and elderly, killed in crossfire or die from diseases n evacuation centers-houses, crops, livelihood abandoned-disrupted schooling, disrupted lives, etc..
The Invisible Cost of War
- psychological- trauma, hatred, etc…- an even greater divide
Most vulnerable - children- women- elderly*statistically, bulk of IDPs *where are the men and teenage boys?
Victims have rights, too!
-Universal Declaration of Human Rights-International Humanitarian Law -UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (UNGPID) -etc..
UNGPIDtranslated in at least 40 languages including six Philippine languages
Victims have rights, too!-cultural sensitivity Cultural/religious practices in the area•e.g. *prayer section*prayer time *Ramadan period
Victims have rights, too!-cultural sensitivity Cultural/religious practices in the area•e.g. *toilets
Protecting victims of armed conflict
Reports, photographs, soundbytes, video important sources for immediate response from government, humanitarian agencies, and even warring groups
1. “Ground truthing”*No substitute to field coverage*Safety measures considered, attempts should be made to reach areas of mass displacement other than those easily accessible
Field visits not just once but more than once;
Preferably, post-conflict follow-up(sometimes, in new settlements;sometimes, until the next evacuation)
Joint coverage by Mindanao and Manila journalistsco-convened in 2009:
State Of the Bakwits (SOB) Maguindanao, June 30-1 July
Revisiting the BakwitsMaguindanao, November 13-15
2. Victims’ rights *Knowledge of UNGPID, UNDHR, IHL, etc.. Is a must
3. Cultural/Religious sensitivity
(ask, ask, ask)* speak their language; if you can’t get interpreter
4. Statistics* most difficult to establish especially in early part of mass displacement* complaints of bloated figures (deliberate or not deliberate)*which IDP areas are underserved, unserved, overserved?
5. Link up with civil society, aid agencies, ceasefire monitors* areas served/visited* problems encountered* actions taken, etc.. * verify reports ; countercheck claims by government and rebels
6. IDPs as victims a second, third, fourth time *IDPs are usually portrayed as helpless, dependent only on doles from government, humanitarian agencies, politicians* they have coping/survival mechanisms: what are these? How do they cope?(e.g. sardines in exchange for fresh fish; noodles in exchange for …)
*DIGNITY of the IDPsIDPs are human beings, tooJournalists are human beings, too
Thank you!
Salamat po!
Sukran!/Shukran
Magsukol!
Terima Kasih
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