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ZAMBOANGA CITY: The women leaders in the Asia-Pacific
region who joined the International Women’s Peace and Solidarity
Mission to Basilan have called on the government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to immediately resume the stalled
peace talks as the first significant step in resolving the Basilan
crisis.
The delegates noted the
importance of the resumption of talks between the two parties. The
suggestion was for both parties to effectively address and resolve
at the negotiating table contentious issues surrounding the July 10
Basilan incident.
The delegates pushed for the
enhancement of the role of women in the peace process and of the
need to highlight the women’s role in, but not limited to, health,
education and postconflict reconstruction activities.
“We express concern about the
effect of armed conflicts on the women and their families, and at
the same time affirm how women take care of their families and the
community, and cope and survive in such situation,” they said in a
statement.
Thousands of people, including
women and children, have evacuated to safer grounds for fear of
getting caught in the crossfire seeing that fighting would erupt
since the police and military troops launched a manhunt against the
July 10 ambush perpetrators.
The delegates also called on the
political personalities in Basilan to help avert the renewed
outbreak of hostilities, which will have dire consequences on the
Mindanao peace process.
“It cannot be denied that
issues related to politics are among the issues that contribute to
the deterioration of the peace and security condition in the island
province,” the delegates said.
They called on the authorities in
the judiciary to exercise prudence in producing the list of suspects
to be arrested.
“The passion for the rule of
law must also be tempered with the desire to avoid miscarriage of
justice in the process, for it is utterly dangerous to name suspects
who are even dead or not around during the incident, as claimed by
many of those we interviewed on the ground,” they said.
The mission delegates are
composed of a 12-member team coming from the countries of East
Timor, Thailand, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the
Philippines.
They visited Basilan province
last Friday until Sunday and met with all sectors of the province.
--PNA
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