MANILA, April 4, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Despite the absence of reports of fresh fighting between Philippine government troops and fighters called Moro National Liberations Front-Misuari Faction, a “state of war” on the Mindanao island of Sulu” lingers, a group of peace advocacy organizations said in a report received by IslamOnline.net Monday, April 4.

“There is a state of war in Sulu right now. Fear and insecurity prevail despite efforts to bring back the situation to normalcy,” the Mindanao Peaceweavers reported after its three-day "Sulu Peace and Solidarity Mission."

“A collective insecurity persists despite renewed promises of rehabilitation of houses and construction of roads and bridges. There is a raging cry for justice, peace and respect for human rights,” the report went on.

Mindanao Peaceweavers convened the investigation along with Bangsamoro Women Solidarity Forum, Concerned Citizens of Sulu, Sulu Civil Society assembly, and Peace Advocates Zamboanga.

Balay Rehabilitation Center, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, Gathering for Peace, Initiatives for International Dialogue, Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc., Mindanao Peoples Caucus, Mindanao Solidarity Network, Saligan Mindanaw, The Asia Foundation, and international observers from East Timor and South Korea joined the study, investigation and dialogue last March 28-30.

Some 100 MNLF fighters loyal to their founder Nur Misuari, who is in jail facing rebellion charges, attacked military posts in three Sulu towns last February 6 following what they say was a massacre of a Muslim family. The fighting caused the death of some 100 soldiers and fighters.

In the report, Mindanao Peaceweavers called on the Philippine government and the MNLF-Misuari group to hold talks on the status and implementation of the 1996 Peace Agreement on the Misuari issue and on the Sulu situation.

It also asked for the reactivation of the tripartite mechanism, including the Joint Monitoring Committee.

The mechanism involves the Philippine government, MNLF and Organization of Islamic Conference.

The group also reported that as of March 24, some 9,879 families or 57,900 persons remain away from their homes.

“At the height of the fighting in February, almost 15 percent of the total population fled their homes and farms towards safer grounds enduring the harsh conditions of the evacuation centers while others stayed with relatives and friends.”

Filipino troops are accused of employing heavy-handed approach towards Muslims in Mindanao.

It concluded that the killing of four residents of Sitio Baunu Ice, Barangay Kapuk Punggul in Sulu’s Maimbung town in the early morning of February 1 triggered the armed conflict.

It further said that while there are various versions on what actually transpired in that fateful morning, “we are gravely disturbed that civilians, especially a pregnant woman and children have become casualties of the hostilities.”

Mindanao Peaceweavers further asked the government and the MNLF Misuari group to declare at least a temporary suspension of military operations or suspension of offensive military actions in Sulu, and to explore cooperation in the interdiction of the criminal elements.

All concerned parties, the group added, including international humanitarian organizations, have to ensure the effective protection, adequate relief, voluntary return, and sustainable rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (UNGPID).

It called for the conduct of an independent and competent investigation of the February 1 incident that sparked the February hostilities in Sulu, including the consolidation of all existing and available fact-finding reports, testimonies and evidentiary material.

It asked for the carrying out of “corrective and preventive action on human rights violations, including whatever possible action on recently documented cases in Sulu” as well as the establishment of an office of the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) on the island besides reinforcing the prosecutorial and judicial system for the handling of human rights complaints and cases there.

The report also included some other recommendations to "promote and institutionalize education on human rights, United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (UNGPID), international humanitarian laws especially with the AFP, Philippine National Police, MNLF Misuari group in Sulu, tapping for this purpose the Commission on Human Rights, International Committee of the Red Cross, Philippine National Red Cross, national IHL committee and various human rights and humanitarian NGOs".

It further called for the constitutional principle of the supremacy of civilian authority over the military to be adhered to both the national level and in Sulu especially on questions of war and peace.

"Matters of the peace processes, the MNLF question and Sulu peace and development should not be mainly left in military hands or determined by military minds."

The report is a clear contradiction of earlier government assertions the situation in Sulu was back to normal.

Last March 17, Secretary Teresita Deles, President Gloria Arroyo’s presidential adviser on the peace process, said the displaced people in Sulu have started to return to their homes and the situation on the country’s southern tip was returning to normal.