DATU PIANG (MindaNews/ 15 November) – Their access cards indicate they have “returned” to their villages and, therefore, can no longer avail of ration from the World Food Programme (WFP), other humanitarian agencies and politicians like Senator Loren Legarda.
Nearly a month after their access cards were stamped “returned” by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the evacuees are still in the evacuation sites, waiting for the promised assistance that would allow them to return home.
And because their cards had been stamped “returned” and their names stricken off the masterlist, no assistance is forthcoming.
Fr. Eduardo Vasquez, OMI, parish priest of this predominantly Moro town, said that apart from the confusion over these alleged “returned” evacuees or internally displaced persons (IDPs), the IDPs themselves cite five reasons why they have not returned home nearly four months after the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) suspended military operations.
First, there are no more homes to return to, as they have been burned or destroyed by the elements. Most of the IDPs have spent over a year in the evacuation centers.
Second, there is no assurance that is safe for them to return home.
Third, there are no food provisions to start them off in their places of origin, since they still have to resume farming or fishing.
Fourth, UXOs or unexploded ordnance. Farmers are afraid to till their lands for fear of unexploded bombs.
Fifth, livelihood assistance since most, if not all their carabaos, farm animals and other means of livelihood such as fishnets, have all been sold or destroyed.
Vasquez said that before he left for Manila on November 3, community leaders in the evacuation centers met with him to say their last food supply was still on September 10. He said he verified from WFP and was told there was no supply for the month of October but that supply would be distributed on November 12.
Danny Usman, a leader of 33 families from Barangay Duaminanga, told the assembly of IDPs at the grounds of the Sta. Teresita of the Child Jesus parish that all their access cards were stamped “Returned” on October 19 but they have not returned to Duaminanga because they were waiting for the promised “pabaon” (provision) of three sacks of rice and an unspecified amount of money.
But no such provisions came, Usman said.
Food supply was distributed on November 12 at 25 kilos of rice and oil for those included in the masterlist. But those whose access cards had been stamped “returned” received only rice, he said.
Ed Diestro, municipal information officer 3, said there are still 3,330 families in 27 evacuation centers in Datu Piang, as of the October 15 validation of WFP, ‘s while 487 are house-based.
Diestro explained that cards stamped with “returned” imply they are no longer in the masterlist and therefore, cannot avail of assistance. He also cited problems such as “fake” evacuees.
A total of 1,019 families have been reported “returned” as of October 15, but Usman said they are actually still in the evacuation centers.
Only 3,000 family packs were to be distributed from Senator Legarda’s assistance last Saturday, triggering complaints from those whose cards had been marked “returned.” The Legarda pack consisted of 2.5 kilos of riece, 1 corned beef, 2 sardines, one kilo brown sugar, 50 grams coffee.
Musib Uy Tan, executive assistant to the mayor, said he had just returned from a three-month absence and would work on the complaints immediately to ensure everyone gets his/her share.
Diestro said the town has been classified as Risk Level 1, or “wala nang problema, wala nang putok.”
Tan said six of 16 barangays have been declared “safe” – Buayan, Magaslong, Balanaken, Dado, Montay and Balong.
A team of reporters proceeded to these villages and saw so many still abandoned houses along the road to Balanaken, Liong and Alonganen, some 4.6 kilometers away from the Datu Gumbay Elementary school and the army’s firebase.
IDPs who choose to settle in the newly-established settlement areas in the municipality, can do so and would be provided food assistance on a food-for-work basis, Tan said.
The United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (UNGPID) provides guideposts on dealing with IDPs returning home.
Principle 3 states that national authorities “have the primary duty and responsibility to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons within their jurisdiction” and IDPs have the right to “request and to receive protection and humanitarian assistance from these authorities. They shall not be persecuted or punished for making such a request.”
Principle 15 states that IDPs have the right, among others, “to be protected against forcible return to or resettlement in any place where their life, safety, liberty and/or health would be at risk.”
Principle 25 states that the primary duty and responsibility for providing humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons lies with national authorities.
Under Principle 28, “competent authorities have the primary duty and responsibility to establish conditions, as well as provide the means, which allow internally displaced persons to return voluntarily, in safety and with dignity, to their homes or places of habitual residence, or to resettle voluntarily in another part of the country. Such authorities shall endeavour to facilitate the reintegration of returned or resettled internally displaced persons.”
“Special efforts should be made to ensure the full participation of internally displaced persons in the planning and management of their return or resettlement and reintegration,” it added.
Principle 29 also states that “competent authorities have the duty and responsibility to assist returned and/or resettled internally displaced persons to recover, to the extent possible, their property and possessions which they left behind or were dispossessed of upon their displacement. When recovery of such property and possessions is not possible, competent authorities shall provide or assist these persons in obtaining appropriate compensation or another form of just reparation.” (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment