AS PEACE TALKS RESUME
    KMP cites 497 AFP ceasefire violations

    288
    0
    SHARE
    CLARK FREEPORT – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) allegedly “never implemented” the government’s unilateral ceasefire declaration amid data showing 497 ceasefire violations since August last year.

    The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said these cases were “grave violations” of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), one of the five significant agreements signed by the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) for the peace talks set to resume in Rome.

    “It is important to raise outright violations of CARHRIHL in the third round of the peace talks that will open this week in Rome, Italy. The AFP never implemented the government’s unilateral ceasefire declaration. In fact, it continued to violate and disrespect the peace talks by seriously harming civilians,” said KMP secretary general Antonio Flores.

    He cited findings of the Tanggol Magsasaka, a taskforce devoted to monitoring human rights violations in the countryside, that there were 497 recorded ceasefi re violations committed by AFP troops and paramilitary from August to December 2016.

    In a statement, KMP also blamed the government for “rising human rights violations” victimizing mostly farmers in the countryside.”

    It cited the task force’s data showing that in rural and indigenous peoples communities from August to December last year, there were 19 extra judicial killings, 414 illegal arrests, 13,734 forced evacuations, 18,675 cases of threat, harassment and intimidation, and 14,097 cases of use of schools, medical, religious and other public places for military operations.

    “The military have setup camp and barracks in civilian communities in rural areas. They keep on harassing and threatening farmers whom they accuse as members or supporters of the New People’s Army. There were no firefights but military operations continued in the form of surveillance, harassment, encampment in civilian communities, socio-economic projects and other dirty psy-war tactics,” Flores said.

    Flores decried the government’s unilateral ceasefire as a farce. “The AFP has intensifi ed its pys-war operations against the people. It even named its latest counterinsurgency plan as Oplan Kapayapaan to deceive the public into believing that they are upholding peace,” he added.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here