‘PEACEFULLY.’ DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin says the Aquino government wants to resolve the Sabah crisis “peacefully” so that there will be no more casualties during an interview Friday in Davao City. About 40 civilians were reportedly massacred by Malaysian authorities Wednesday in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia. Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III has declared a unilateral ceasefire Thursday but Malaysian authorities had rejected it. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
“Para hindi na madagdagan pa ang mga casualties (So that there will be no more casualties).”– DND Sec. Voltaire Gazmin
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Department of National Defense (DND) said that the Aquino government wants to resolve the Sabah crisis “very peacefully.”
“Para hindi na madagdagan pa ang mga casualties (So that there will be no more casualties),” DND Sec. Voltaire Gazmin told media practitioners here Friday at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.
On Thursday, Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo declared a unilateral ceasefire after over three weeks of conflict in Sabah, Malaysia.
This after 40 civilians were allegedly “massacred” by Malaysian authorities in Lahad Datu on Wednesday.
However, the Malaysian authorities rejected the offer.
Malaysia Defense Minister Zahid Hamidi reportedly said they will not accept the ceasefire “unless the militants surrender unconditionally.”
Prime Minister Najib Razakas was also quoted saying, “They have to surrender their arms…as soon as possible,” adding that he already told President Benigno Aquino III about it.
DND’s Gazmin said the Philippine government is “awaiting further developments so we can assess.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for “an end to the violence.”
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement, expressed concern on the impact of the situation on the civilian population, including migrants.
Ban Ki-moon encouraged for a “dialogue among all the parties for a peaceful resolution of the situation.” He also urged all parties to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance and act in full respect of international human rights norms and standards.
Kawagib, Moro rights group based in Cotabato, has urged the Malaysian government to resume peaceful negotiations with Kiram.
“We believe it’s proper for the Malaysians to restart its dialogue with Kiram’s group in deference to the UN chief’s call. We also hope they respond to the unilateral ceasefire in accordance to Islamic values,” Jerome Succor Aba, Kawagib spokesperson, said in a statement. “We are hoping that Malaysians retract its outright rejection of a ceasefire,” he added.
Kawagib also said that to prevent further bloodshed and the escalation of conflict, all parties should “seriously espouse a peaceful negotiation” as it urged the Malaysian security forces to “give primacy to internationally recognized human rights” following reports of rights abuses by Malaysian authorities during the military crackdown against Kiram’s group and supporters.
Fahad Pandi, spokesperson of the Liga ng Kabataang Moro, said that supporters of Kiram didn’t go to Sabah to instigate violence. “Their presence there did not warrant the excessive military action deployed by the Malaysian government,” he said.
He urged the Aquino administration to restore diplomatic negotiations and “prove that it is indeed against needless loss of lives.” (Marilou Aguirre-Tuburan/davaotoday.com
