Monday, 19 October 2009
Of Sulu’s 24,000 evacuees, 7,000 unserved
MindaNews
Monday, 12 October 2009 07:13
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/11 October) – There are still 24,435 persons displaced by conflict in Sulu, 7,030 of them still unserved, an October 10 report of the Sulu Disaster Coordinating Council, said. The report did not say why the 7,030 persons remain unserved.
Thousands were displaced from 30 barangays in six towns – Indanan, Jolo, Panamao, Panglima Estino, and Kalingalan-Calauang.
Hardest hit of the six towns is Indanan with 3,207 families or 14,963 internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The IDPs fled their villages on September 20, a holy day for Muslims as it was Eid’l Fitr, the end of the month-long fasting, Ramadan. Instead of waking up to a feast, residents were awakened by explosions.
The military said they were trying to serve arrest warrants for Abu Sayyaf leaders in Indanan, Sulu when rebuffed by the bandits.
The military operations were heavily criticized by civilians in Sulu and civil society groups as thousands were gathering or going to the mosques when the mortars and bombs exploded.
Two days later, eight Marine troopers were killed in the operations.
According to the October 10 report, barangays affected by the armed clashes in Indanan are Buansa, Licup, Poblacion, Lambayong, Bato-bato, Langpas, Kajatian and Tagbak.
After Indanan, Panamao has the second highest number of IDPs, with 1,046 families or 4,973 evacuees from the affected barangays Tabu Manuk, Seit Pob., Bud Seit, Parang Duyan, Masjid Bayli, Masjid Tinah,Siet Higad, Lunngang Maasin, Suuh, Kamalig, Tinah and Kawasan.
Four hundred twenty one families or 2,269 persons were all affected in Panglima Estino’s seven barangays – Gagguil, Punay, Marsada, Likbah, Pandakan, Paiksah and Lubuk-Lubuk. (MindaNews)
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