Posted on 08/22/2008 3:34:27 PM PDT by Candor7
AMNESTY International yesterday warned that arming civilians and militias in Mindanao against Muslim rebel attacks could escalate the violence there.
Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced and dozens killed in recent attacks blamed on Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, prompting the government to scrap a preliminary peace accord calling for an expanded autonomy for minority Muslims.
The rebels, who have been fighting for Muslim self-rule, said they regretted the violence but rejected government demands to hand over two commanders blamed for recent civilian deaths.
The military has stepped up pressure on the rebels by launching limited air strikes and artillery assaults on suspected guerrilla hideouts in Maguindanao province.
Human rights group Amnesty International said the rebels “should be held to account” for serious violations of international law, but also warned that the deployment of civilian militias on the government side “can set off a chain of reprisals and only increase the danger facing civilians.”
The military has a decades-old policy of arming civilian militias to reinforce security forces and protect local communities.
Following Monday’s rebel attack on five coastal towns in Lanao del Norte province, in which guerrillas shot or hacked to death 39 people, Amnesty said that local politicians in nearby North Cotabato province supplied guns and ammunition to civilians after security officials reportedly refused.
Similar reports were received from other predominantly Christian cities in the south, it said.
National Police Chief Avelino Razon confirmed in Manila on Wednesday that police were set to recruit and arm more civilian volunteers.
He said 1,000 shotguns would be shipped to the south and an additional 12,000 weapons were being readied.
In the 1970s, notorious Christian militias known as “Ilagas” or “rats” were blamed for killing Muslim civilians and burning mosques.
The Muslims had also formed “Barracuda” vigilantes who attacked Christians. “Many people in Mindanao are terrified of a return to a period when armed Muslim insurgents and Christian vigilante Ilaga groups attacked civilians with impunity,” Amnesty said.
Just weeks ago, a peace deal to end the decades-long insurgency had seemed within reach after government and rebel negotiators initialed an agreement on an expanded Muslim autonomous region.
Ping to the Conservative Pinoy List!
Did Obambi say he wanted to start a civilian security force as big and strong as the Army?
That's the point of arming them you morons! These girlymen at Amnesty really need to think before they open their mouths.
God helps those who help themselves. Arm the Christians!
Amnesty International is very upset because this could impede the Muslim conquest of the Phillipines.
Yes, you would not want innocent citzens killing all those Muslim terrorists, because that might hurt Amnesty International’s income and job security!!!!!
Yep. Just lie down and die, dhimmis!
PRECISELY!
One side armed = enslavement, tyranny or massacre
Both sides armed (depending on weaponry, guts and training about equal) = fair fight!
God forbid there should be a FAIR FIGHT anywhere on earth.
Exactly. An increase in violence is what war is about. Only an increase in violence will be able to crush the Islamic fanatics. War is one of the best methods of conflict resolution ever invented.
the muslims been slaughtering people there forever,,they make peace only to re-arm,gee,,where have we seen that? the filipinos are very forgiving and have paid a dear price for being nice to the muslims,arming citizens would stop them from terrorizing them I think.
AI is a bunch of “stick your head in the sand and hope for the best” kinda guys. They like to rely on “hope” that maybe the bad guys will just go away and not hurt you.
Well, yeah. It doubles “gun violence” when the good guys shoot back.
The USA should simply ignore all these NGO’s like this: the UN, Amnesty, the many lefty wing so called foundational agencies that push their noses into American foreign and domestic affairs when they have no moral , educational, economic cred themselves. The dickens with them . And I am not an isolationist but I tend to get a bit tired of all these outside groups, like Doctors without Borders criticizing American efforts on all levels but not doing the same with the totalitarian states who really hurt the world’s efforts for peace.
I despise amnesty international
That's the point of arming them you morons! These girlymen at Amnesty really need to think before they open their mouths.
You beat me to it. Arming the innocents could result in the sudden deescalation of violence with the immediate deaths of jihadists.
Not exactly. He said he wanted a Civilian National Security Force double the size of the Peace Corps, nearly quadruple the size of AmeriCorps and the size of the nation's military services, the 2007 U.S. Defense budget being $439 billion dollars worth. And he wants four times that?
Of course, he's not the only one. The plan originated with Bush Defense Secretary and Globalist Robert Gates.
I think he meant a civilian political indoctrination force.
Gee where were these guys during the American revolution? They could have saved countless lives.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
(No offense to our friends across the pond)
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