|
|
|
Jolie asked to visit RP to probe case of displaced people
MANILA, Philippines -- The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng
Pilipinas (KMP or Movement of Farmers in the Philippines) has
asked the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) to
send its ambassador of goodwill, actress Angelina Jolie, to the
Philippines to monitor and investigate the phenomenon of
internally displaced people.
KMP secretary general Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos said he has
written the UNHCR on December 7 making the appeal.
“We are appealing to the UNHCR High Commissioner Mr. António
Guterres to send Ambassador of Goodwill Angelina Jolie to
personally see the plight of our peasantry, their children, and
the national minorities in the countryside and expose it to the
world. We hope that our plea would be granted at the soonest
time possible,” he said.
Ramos said thousands of people, particularly in the provinces,
were being forced out of their homes due to “indiscriminate”
military operations, citing cases in Quezon and Surigao Del Sur
provinces.
In Quezon, the Southern Tagalog branch of human rights group
Karapatan has monitored the displacement of more than 9,000
children since the start of December, Ramos said.
“They were forced to flee because of excessive military abuses
to their families like threats, harassment, and torture. The
soldiers summon their parents three times a month for
interrogation and torture. If they fail to come to the military
camp, they will be branded as a member of the New People’s
Army,” the farmer’s group leader said, referring the army of the
Communist Party of the Philippines.
In Surigao del Sur, more than 400 residents including children
from Sitio (sub-village) Kilometer 22, Barangay (village)
Ananhao Daan, Tago and more than a hundred lumads (indigenous
peoples) in Barangay Parina swelled the 3,000 already displaced
there because of military offensives, Ramos said.
Ramos said that in a span of less than a month, the cases of
internally displaced persons have doubled from 10,000 to almost
20,000 victims.
“This situation really needs the United Nations to step in
because if this continues, in less than a year we fear that at
least a hundred thousand people will be displaced,” Ramos said.
|
