JEDDAH, 17 January — Don't be misled into believing that the war between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao has ceased just because it is no longer prominently reported in the newspapers, by television or radio, a medical doctor from the troubled southern Philippines says.
Dr. Saffrullah Dipatuan, a prominent civic leader in Marawi City, says war is still raging especially in the central Mindanao area, and more civilians are being forced to flee their homes. Medicines are very minimal and tents intended to accommodate the refugees are not being distributed by authorities concerned for fear that these might find their way in the hands of the separatists.
Worse, the Muslim refugees benefited very little from the Saudi humanitarian assistance, adds Dipatuan, who is extensively involved in the care of the Muslim refugees displaced by the fighting. Dipatuan, is a life-time member of the Philippine Medical Association, an official of the Lanao del Sur Medical Society, the medical director of the SMD General Hospital in Marawi, and president of the SMD Foundation, Inc., which was founded in honor of the late Sheikh Macapantao Dipatuan to continue his philanthropic and humanitarian activities. The young Dr. Dipatuan, currently in the Kingdom to perform Umrah, spoke to Arab News in Jeddah on Sunday.
Excerpts of the interview:
On the present condition of the Mindanao refugees
Their number is continuously swelling and their condition is getting worse everyday. Many are becoming sick and malnourished and attention being given them is fast vanishing. This only proves that initial government efforts to attend to them are only for show. There are no concrete measures being planned by the government to take care of them in the long run.
Don't be misled to believe that since the war in Mindanao is no longer reported in the newspapers the war is already over. The war is still raging and the civilians continue to flee from their homes.
On the two planeloads of humanitarian aide from the Saudi government for Bangamoro Muslim refugees:
The Bangsamoro Muslims are indeed very grateful to the Saudi government for the assistance extended to them. What is most important for us is the genuine concern demonstrated by the Saudi government toward their brethren in southern Philippines.
Let it be known, however, that the Muslim refugees benefited very little from the Saudi aid. Local government recipients of the goods complain that the volume of goods allotted for them were greatly reduced. Medicines were very minimal and tents intended to accommodate the refugees were not distributed for fear that it might find its way in the hands of the Mujahideen who may find them very useful in the jungle. These local government units, however, did not lodge formal complaints about the unauthorized and unexplained reduction of their share. I myself, asked this people to five us a copy of the official inventory of the goods and medicines received by them but I was told that there is none.
Purpose in visiting the Kingdom.
My sole purpose in this visit is to perform Umrah and to spend the last 10 days of Ramadhan in the Haramain in Makkah and Madina.
Status of the war in Mindanao
Externally, it would seem as though the government troops won the war and were able to crush the Bangsamoro Mujahideen. The reality, however, is that the war only shifted from a conventional type to a guerrilla war which is more advantageous to the Mujahideen. If the government could claim any victory it is only geographical in nature. The strength of the MILF in terms of arm and manpower is still intact.
It was published in Philippines newspapers that the government has dropped all their pre-conditions for the resumption of the stalled peace talk between the GRP and the MILF, what do you think is the stand of the MILF regarding this?
The problem with the Philippines government is that it continuously engages in double-talk. While government official talk about peace. Government soldiers are still adamantly pursuing their military operation against the Bangsamoro and the Mujahideen. I am not an official of the MILF, hence, I am not in a position to speak in behalf of them. But what I know is that the MILF has repeatedly declared that it is willing to return to the negotiating table for as long as the government would demonstrate genuine sincerity in the peace talks by implementing previous agreements signed between the government and MILF panels. These include, among others, a cease-fire agreement and pullout of all government troops in MILF-controlled areas.
Solution to the Mindanao conflict, in the eyes of the Bangsamoro
The Bangsamoro people are already very tired of war. Hence, they would want to see a fast and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
That is why, once and for all, we are appealing to the OIC to work for an UN-sponsored referendum in Mindanao similar to the one held in East Timor. If the Philippine government will agree to this, I think the MILF will respect the choice of the Bangsamoro people. If a big Muslim country such as Indonesia could find it humane and democratic to respect the ideals and aspirations of the East Timorese people, why can't the Philippine government do the same to the Bangsamoro people?
Estrada's impeachment and Mindanao's politicians
This is a very regrettable and deplorable development. We are in a very ironic situation wherein a president being charged with corruption, bribery betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the constitution is being abandoned by his Christian party mates but on the other hand is being hugged by so-called Muslim political leaders.
Because of greed for power and wealth, these Muslim politicians don't even have the decency to demonstrate any sign of protest against the president's all-out war against the Bangsamoro and the MILF, which has brought incalculable damages to the Bangsamoro people in terms of loss of lives casualties and destruction of properties.
On the supposed surrender of MILF fighters
What they are doing is just a recycling of garbage. I personally know a lot of these surrenderers. These are people who claimed to be MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) members before and who surrendered to the government. They are not MILF mujahideen. Before I left for Umrah, I also heard from a very reliable source that every mayor was required to present a certain number of so-called surrenderers. This is a very desperate move by a desperate regime. Let them fool themselves.
