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First Posted on Inside Mindanao (www.insidemindanao.com) on October 1, 2008

Call to end military offensives, especially aerial bombings
By Ellen Red

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Women who experience armed–conflict and know too well its bitter consequences called on the Philippine government to stop the military offensives, especially the aerial bombings, restore the ceasefire mechanisms, and give the civilians space to survive.

Women from various islands of the country gathered in Davao on September 16-17, 2008 for the meeting on "War Against Women, Women Against War (Women's Workshop on Peace and Conflict)" because of the critical situation they see in Mindanao.

Participants of the meeting, in a statement said:

"More than half a million women and men have already been displaced by the ongoing war, and more than half of these evacuees are children. The miserable condition of uprooted families is made even more deplorable as this is happening during the holy month of Ramadhan.

"Relief and humanitarian assistance have been minimal, and in some cases have even been prevented from reaching communities already in crisis, forcing many of them into mendicancy.

"Too many civilians have become 'collateral damage' : children, women, elderly, but also many men who are not combatants are being killed indiscriminately by bullets and bombs.

"A more dangerous situation is emerging with the arming of civilians and the stoking of ethnic and religious fears and biases.

"Women are increasingly at risk, as victims in the crossfire, and from disease in evacuation centers. This war situation has made women even more vulnerable to kidnapping as in the current case of two women NGO workers in Basilan."

At the gathering in Davao, the participants said they told their stories and listened to each other, drawing strength and courage to take collective action.

They added, "The picture of this war has become very clear to us. This is not a religious war. It is the contention over resources and political control...."

"As women who have been dreaming and working for peace, we hold our woman president and this government accountable! It is their obligation to end this war and put things right. We strongly urge the president to exert her leadership towards the attainment of a just and lasting peace over the land," the statement said.

Earlier, women's groups have called on the United Nations (UN) to bring the government of the Republic of the Philippines and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) back to the peace negotiation table as soon as possible.

In a letter to UN Secretary—General Ban Ki—moon, Mindanao Commission on Women, Mothers for Peace, Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement, Mindanao Tri—People Women, Mindanao Young Women Leaders Forum, and Political Caucus of Women Leaders in Mindanao called on the international body "to bring the government of the Republic of the Philippines and MILF back to the peace negotiation table as soon as possible."

The groups added, "While we believe that MILF units that targeted villages have engaged in serious violations of international law and should be held accountable, we are also seriously concerned about the formation of armed militia units with support from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

"The setting up of armed groups will not protect civilians as some local government officials believe. Rather, it will lead to more chaos, insecurity and division among local communities."

END