By JONALD MAHINAY and BARRY OHAYLAN | Davao Today
Around 200 members of progressive groups from Davao City went to Compostela Valley province on September 18 this year to call for a stop of the rising number of human rights violation in the area. Upon reaching Nabunturan town, the group marched their way up to Nabunturan gym, where Nabunturan Police Chief Inspector Roderico Roy asked them to present their permit. The activists assured the local police the demonstration will be peaceful. At the gym, a mass was heard, followed by cultural presentations by student activists.
According to the human rights group Karapatan, the human rights violation in Southern Mindanao has increased as the Oplan Bantay Laya, aimed at crushing the 40-year-old communist rebellion in the country, is nearing its deadline in 2010.
Instead of targeting insurgents, the OBL targets civilians and members of legal progressive organizations who bear the brunt of the anti- insurgency policy of the government. In Compostela Valley alone, Karapatan-Southern Mindanao documented 73 cases of human rights violations, where 699 families and 4, 512 individuals were victimized from January to August 15 this year. These human rights cases included extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests and detention, use of public places for military purposes, threats to civilians, indiscriminate firing, aerial and artillery bombardment, physical assault and injuries, illegal search and seizure, forcible evacuation and displacement, forcible and fake surrenders, destruction of properties, divestment of properties, use of civilian as guides in military operations, torture, and violations of children’s rights. Karapatan points to the state security forces and paramilitary groups having a hand in these violations. The 10th Infantry Division of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) of the AFP was installed in Southern Mindanao in 2006 with at least six brigades and 15 battalions.
