(“The Refugees” by Kerr Eby, ca. 1918-1935, from www.asu.edu
Smithsonian American Art Museum)
War is about not having drinking water. As long as you can go to a grocery or sari-sari store (small retail food store) and buy or “palista” (pay later) your food, or pick them up at the market, you’ll never know what a forcibly evacuated family or internally displaced person goes through in makeshift sheds or huts, a common sleeping area for a hundred families, no clean water, no firewood, no toilets.
There is a general directive from the President to the AFP that they should decimate the Abu Sayyaf. This has been a standing directive of the government for ten years. For the operation in Sulu, the President and the AFP probably have a target number and certain target areas and a timetable that should not be divulged publicly for tactical reasons. I just hope that they do have those specific targets and know how to attain them or to appease whoever those are, who need to be appeased. Because in the meantime, 14,000 internally displaced persons (Inquirer) in Sulu and Basilan have to wait it out a little longer and scrounge for food.
Based on international humanitarian law, the International Committee of the Red Cross has guidelines for governments in relation to internally displaced persons; they include the following: 1.it is the responsibility of government to protect and lend assistance to internally displaced persons; 2.government must observe its obligations in order to prevent internal displacement; 3.all internally displaced persons shall be protected from attack, from use as shield for military operations, from attack on their settlement, use of anti-personnel land mines; 4.internally displaced persons shall not be confined to a camp; if absolutely necessary, it shall not last longer than required by circumstances; 5.in no case shall they be taken as hostage.
Here they are verbatim; excerpts:
“Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement of the ICRC (excerpted)
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Principle 3
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1. National authorities have the primary duty and responsibility to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons within their jurisdiction.
2. Internally displaced persons have the right to request and to receive protection and humanitarian assistance from these authorities. They shall not be persecuted or punished for making such a request.
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Principle 4
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2. Certain internally displaced persons, such as children, especially unaccompanied minors, expectant mothers, mothers with young children, female heads of household, persons with disabilities and elderly persons, shall be entitled to protection and assistance required by their condition and to treatment which takes into account their special needs.
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Principle 5
All authorities and international actors shall respect and ensure respect for their obligations under international law, including human rights and humanitarian law, in all circumstances, so as to prevent and avoid conditions that might lead to displacement of persons.
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Principle 10
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2. Attacks or other acts of violence against internally displaced persons who do not or no longer participate in hostilities are prohibited in all circumstances. Internally displaced persons shall be protected, in particular, against:
(a) Direct or indiscriminate attacks or other acts of violence, including the creation of areas wherein attacks on civilians are permitted;
(b) Starvation as a method of combat;
(c) Their use to shield military objectives from attack or to shield, favour or impede military operations;
(d) Attacks against their camps or settlements; and
(e) The use of anti-personnel landmines.
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Principle 12
1. Every human being has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.
2. To give effect to this right for internally displaced persons, they shall not be interned in or confined to a camp. If in exceptional circumstances such internment or confinement is absolutely necessary, it shall not last longer than required by the circumstances.
3. Internally displaced persons shall be protected from discriminatory arrest and detention as a result of their displacement.
4. In no case shall internally displaced persons be taken hostage.
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