MANILA, Philippines - A Moro human rights organization on Thursday said the declaration of a state of emergency in Sulu could lead to several cases of human rights violations in the said southern Philippine province.
“Placing Sulu in a state of emergency jeopardizes the inherent and constitutional rights of civilians. It also paves the way for a full-scale military solution to the problem. The lives of civilians must take priority over the need to end the kidnapping crisis,” KAWAGIB spokesperson Bai Ali Indayla said.
Indayla issued the statement after Sulu Governor Abdulsakur Tan made the declaration to deal with the kidnapping of the three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the province.
The group fears a repeat of a similar scenario in Basilan in 2001 wherein massive human rights violations were committed by the government when the province was placed under a state of lawlessness.
ICRC workers Andreas Notter, Eugenio Vagni and Jean Lacaba have been abducted in Sulu by the Abu Sayyaf group on January 15. Lacaba was released by the kidnappers last Thursday after almost 10 weeks in captivity. The two other hostages are still being held by the kidnappers.
The group said the state of emergency could be a pretext to arrest or harass civilians on mere suspicion of involvement or sympath with the Abu Sayyaf.
“Human rights violations have already been rampant in the province even without the declaration of a state of emergency. How much more now that authorities are given vague provisions that condone the violations of basic human rights,” Indayla said. - GMANews.TV
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