
GO HOME: Muslim women and other activists
demand pull-out of U.S. troops in a Sulu protest
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Signs that Sulu is
now on the way to recovery and development are yet to come, with random
bombings and killings devastating this war-torn Southern Mindanao
archipelago. “Unless the government begins reviewing its security policies
and stop its overblown war against terrorism, Sulu will remain in its
current state, ravaged and impoverished,” said Jolo Councilor Cocoy
Tulawie.
April 14 bombing
At midnight of
Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, called Maulid en nabi, locals of Indanan town
heard explosions in at least four villages. The explosives, believed to
have been dropped from a high-flying bomber, pounded the villages of
Balimbayan, Masjid Putih, Tambak and Subah Timauh. The bombings capped the
celebration, which fell on a Good Friday for Christians.
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Nine villagers were
immediately killed including five women, three men and an eight-year old
boy. The blasts also wrecked houses, recalled a local official.
“There was something
unusual about the bombings,” said Jolo Councilor Cocoy Tulawie. He said
that the four explosive devices bore “unusual” shrapnel. “We suspect the
military is pilot-testing these bombs,” he said. He further believed that
the devices were provided by U.S. troops who have been joining the local
military in supposedly conducting “assessments” of the conflict area.
Amirah Lidasan, chair
of Suara Bangsamoro Party-list, confirmed that her group received reports
that U.S. missiles were fired at Indanan on April 14.
Sowing fear
Atty. Ulka P. Ulama,
chair of the Concerned Citizens of Sulu (CCS), said his group submitted
the findings of their investigation regarding the April 14 bombing to the
regional office of the Commission on Human Rights in Zamboanga.
Ulama criticized the
military for sowing fear amid a celebration and again using the Abu Sayyaf
as escape goats.
The aluminum shell
bomb with serial number 253561 measured two meters long and about 24
inches in diameter, he said. He claimed the bomb could only be
manufactured either in the U.S. or Russia.
He said the Abu
Sayyaf Group only uses dynamites in their attacks. Testimonies gathered by
CCS revealed sightings of military aircraft where and when the bombs were
dropped.
Yet, there has been
no report coming from the government about the incident, lamented Ulama,
also the chair of Sulu-Tawi-Tawi Bar Association, Inc.
The U.S. army
contingent of 250 soldiers, who arrived for the 2006 Balikatan joint
military exercise, was supposed to leave Sulu on March 5 and return to
their base in Hawaii
and Japan. But Tulawie said that a number of U.S. soldiers had remained
“active” in various areas in Sulu. These U.S. soldiers claimed they are
there to give away medicines, build schools and restore communities.
More combat
operations
Tulawie said that the
socio-civic missions supposedly being undertaken to help restore Sulu may
be used as an excuse for continued combat operations.
The councilor said
witnesses had reported sightings of “spy” planes, helicopters and naval
ships. Witnesses also reported seeing military equipment being brought in
from these helicopters and naval ships,” he said.

Sulu councilor Cocoy Tulawie |
Tulawie fears that
U.S. troops are gearing for more combat operations in Sulu, where members
of Abu Sayyaf were believed to have been hiding after they were over-run
in Basilan.
In retaliation to the
continuing combat operations, a group of five-to-ten men had been
operating against the joint military forces, revealed Tulawie. “They call
themselves Freedom Squad. The average age of its members are from 16 to
20…They are very young and aggressive,” he said. The group claims that
they are out to give justice to their fellow Muslims.
Tulawie said that
four Philippine marines and two unidentified men were killed in separate
incidents over the weekend and on Wednesday. “It seems that it is the
military who are now being hunted,” he said.
Authorities were
quick to blame the Abu Sayyaf for these incidents that targeted soldiers
from the 104th Brigade in Sulu and the 3rd Marine
Brigade based in Patikul town.
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Tulawie said that the
local government of Sulu has directed the Philippine marines to lead the
implementation of stricter security measures in Jolo. But he protested
this saying that the move would only lead to more killings since
the marines are in a “volatile situation”.
“It appears that the
continued presence of both Philippine and U.S. military forces brings
about the formation of squads that operate underground to retaliate
against them,” he said.
Tulawie said that the
government is blaming the Abu Sayyaf and these squads for sabotaging the
ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
But these squads, said Tulawie, have been operating even before the
ceasefire was signed.
“While it would be
better for the Moro people to just heighten their protests against the
government, the formation of these squads are but a consequence of the
injustices being committed against the people of Sulu,” said Tulawie.
Wanting peace
“If the government
wants peace in Sulu, it must address the social and economic problems that
had long been grappling the poor province, Tulawie said.
Military operations
can be set aside now that the parties concerned are keen on finishing the
ongoing talks between the MILF and the government, and finalizing the 1996
peace pact between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front.
Citing
recommendations by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), which
earlier culminated a three-day mission to Mindanao, Ulama said releasing
former MNLF chair Nur Misuari might be the “first step” in achieving a
lasting peace in Mindanao.
The OIC had condemned
the April 14 bombing in Indanan, said Ulama. He added that the 16-man
mission will forward its recommendations to the government to address the
human rights situation in Sulu.
But with continued
military operations, more “squads” coming from the ranks of those
victimized by the war in Sulu would be formed, said Tulawie. With more
sightings of spy planes, helicopters and troops roaming the island, peace
seems to be nowhere in sight, he said. Bulatlat
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