Civilians arming in troubled south Philippines

allesennogwat · 07-11-2009, 07:04 AM

COTABATO, Philippines – Civilians in the Philippines are arming themselves against a rise in violence blamed on Islamist militants and Muslim separatists, officials and religious leaders warned on Saturday.

The governors of two southern provinces and a Roman Catholic bishop issued the warnings following a series of bombings in the south that have claimed eight lives and wounded dozens over the past week.

"If you put yourself in their shoes, what will you do? Farmers in my province have money because it is the harvest season," said Emmanuel Pinol, governor of North Cotabato province.

He said civilians began buying assault rifles at gun shops around the province even before last week's bombings due to a series of raids by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatist rebels on Christian communities.

"People will react. They are seasoned fighters. They will fight back," Pinol said, noting that towns in central Mindanao where people have been arming spawned the Ilagas paramilitary group in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The Ilagas were blamed for a series of horrendous human rights violations against Muslims, who claim Mindanao as their homeland, including the massacre which left 65 dead inside a mosque near Carmen in June 1971.

Pinol said North Cotabato civilians began selling their guns in 2000 after the military seized the main MILF camp in central Mindanao after a major offensive.

The two sides eventually signed a ceasefire and began peace talks, which broke down last year when the Supreme Court outlawed a draft peace agreement that would have given the MILF control over large areas of the south.

The ruling triggered fresh violence that left dozens of civilians dead and displaced more than half a million people.

Meanwhile South Cotabato provincial governor Daisy Fuentes told reporters, without elaborating: "In some areas in the province, people have armed themselves."

The auxiliary Roman Catholic bishop of Cotabato, Jose Colin Bagaforo, told a local radio station armed paramilitary groups in the area had issued public statements that they intended to fight.

Abhud Syed Lingga, a Muslim professor who heads a local think tank, called the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, said arming civilians would only increase cases of human rights violations.

"It will lead to communal war. It shows that the Philippine government is a failing state because they cannot stop civilians from arming," he told reporters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090711...smuslimprotest

A Roman Catholic priest accompanied by a military official blesses 50 new machine guns in Kauswagan town in southern Philippine island of Mindanao last year. Civilians in the Philippines are arming themselves against a rise in violence blamed on Islamist militants and Muslim separatists, officials and religious leaders have warned.

**IanMor** · 07-11-2009, 08:13 AM

Quote:

A Roman Catholic priest accompanied by a military official blesses 50 new machine guns

I love this part right here ^!

RG Coburn · 07-11-2009, 09:32 AM

I wonder if he annoited them with some holy BreakFree?

lsmurphy · 07-11-2009, 09:50 AM

maybe the Philipenes is the place to move, sounds like fun.

Scott

FloridaAKM · 07-11-2009, 10:24 AM

They have fun weapons with the go fast switch still functioning

Black_Wolf · 07-11-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanMor

I love this part right here ^!

Quote.

The Ilagas were blamed for a series of horrendous human rights violations against Muslims, who claim Mindanao as their homeland, including the massacre which left 65 dead inside a mosque near Carmen in June 1971.

End Quote

This one is my favorite.

shooter_37 · 07-13-2009, 03:37 PM

It shows that the Philippine government is a failing state because they cannot stop civilians from arming," he told reporters.

mnhunter59 · 07-13-2009, 11:31 PM

With all the MILFs around who would want to fight. Sorry, but this thread was just begging for a reply like that. I need a map to the MILF camp BTW.

07-11-2009, 07:04 AM	#1
allesennogwat Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 3738 Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 32,142	Civilians arming in troubled south Philippines COTABATO, Philippines – Civilians in the Philippines are arming themselves against a rise in violence blamed on Islamist militants and Muslim separatists, officials and religious leaders warned on Saturday. The governors of two southern provinces and a Roman Catholic bishop issued the warnings following a series of bombings in the south that have claimed eight lives and wounded dozens over the past week. "If you put yourself in their shoes, what will you do? Farmers in my province have money because it is the harvest season," said Emmanuel Pinol, governor of North Cotabato province. He said civilians began buying assault rifles at gun shops around the province even before last week's bombings due to a series of raids by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatist rebels on Christian communities. "People will react. They are seasoned fighters. They will fight back," Pinol said, noting that towns in central Mindanao where people have been arming spawned the Ilagas paramilitary group in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Ilagas were blamed for a series of horrendous human rights violations against Muslims, who claim Mindanao as their homeland, including the massacre which left 65 dead inside a mosque near Carmen in June 1971. Pinol said North Cotabato civilians began selling their guns in 2000 after the military seized the main MILF camp in central Mindanao after a major offensive. The two sides eventually signed a ceasefire and began peace talks, which broke down last year when the Supreme Court outlawed a draft peace agreement that would have given the MILF control over large areas of the south. The ruling triggered fresh violence that left dozens of civilians dead and displaced more than half a million people. Meanwhile South Cotabato provincial governor Daisy Fuentes told reporters, without elaborating: "In some areas in the province, people have armed themselves." The auxiliary Roman Catholic bishop of Cotabato, Jose Colin Bagaforo, told a local radio station armed paramilitary groups in the area had issued public statements that they intended to fight. Abhud Syed Lingga, a Muslim professor who heads a local think tank, called the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, said arming civilians would only increase cases of human rights violations. "It will lead to communal war. It shows that the Philippine government is a failing state because they cannot stop civilians from arming," he told reporters. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090711...smuslimprotest A Roman Catholic priest accompanied by a military official blesses 50 new machine guns in Kauswagan town in southern Philippine island of Mindanao last year. Civilians in the Philippines are arming themselves against a rise in violence blamed on Islamist militants and Muslim separatists, officials and religious leaders have warned. __________________ Daraclor: A brand of anti-malaria pills which we had to drink every week while on the border. Legend had it that these would make you turn yellow and that you wouldn't be able to tan.

07-11-2009, 09:50 AM	#4
lsmurphy Amerika Sux AKaholic #: 6789 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Lost Posts: 24,222	maybe the Philipenes is the place to move, sounds like fun. Scott __________________ Ecclesiastes 1:13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!

07-13-2009, 03:37 PM	#7
shooter_37 Member AKaholic #: 2058 Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 46	It shows that the Philippine government is a failing state because they cannot stop civilians from arming," he told reporters. __________________ I said '' Major, I've been around a long time, and I've learned You can do anything You want in life. But due to the consequences of your actions, some things you only get to do once. For instance, You could climb to the top of the Empire State Building and jump right the @%*# off, but due to the consequences of Your actions You only get to do it once. It the same thing when you shoot at SSG Miller, if You didn't kill me, Your only gonna get to do it once.'' Kunar Province 2008

07-11-2009, 09:32 AM	#3
RG Coburn Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 7184 Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,574	I wonder if he annoited them with some holy BreakFree?

07-11-2009, 10:24 AM	#5
FloridaAKM Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 3568 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 2,582	They have fun weapons with the go fast switch still functioning

07-13-2009, 11:31 PM	#8
mnhunter59 Member AKaholic #: 35743 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 452	With all the MILFs around who would want to fight. Sorry, but this thread was just begging for a reply like that. I need a map to the MILF camp BTW.

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