By: Zainudin Malang AN APPEAL TO REASON, FAIRNESS, COMPASSION, AND SINCERITY (A MinHRAC Open Statement, 22 Sep 2013) For the past two weeks, our 3-person team in Zamboanga has been swamped by appeals for help, requests from people for protection or for the defense of their rights. They saw we were at the frontline escorting families as they were escaping to safety; they saw us at the evacuation camps that were not yet on the official list and were thus afraid of being excluded from much needed relief supplies, and this we suspect is what prodded the public to call on us. We welcome this trust, of course, and we will continue to do what we can to address them. However, two weeks into the crisis, this has led us to ask certain questions. Come to think of it, maybe it is not just us who should be asking questions. Perhaps now is a good time for people in Zamboanga and Basilan to ask themselves where are the institutions that are supposed to provide protection services for their rights as civilians and as IDPs? What are these institutions – governmental or NGO, local or foreign - doing to discharge their responsibilities to the people? These are institutions possessed not only with the mandate also sufficient manpower and funding, right? I am asking these because from the first few hours of Day 1 of the crisis until now, our full time staff of 3, with no actual regular funding, has had to work day in and day out, even to the point of not being able to look after their families. They have literally risked themselves at the front line to save lives, to protect some of the most basic of human rights, including the right to life. And their efforts have apparently not gone unnoticed. One good deed was recognized by more requests for protection. But as I have said, MinHRAC only has a staff of 3. And it is merely an NGO - it does not have the manpower size, nor funding, nor name recall of government agencies, foreign NGOs, or UN agencies some of whom are now housed in the posh hotels of Zamboanga. Some of these institutions have all of those things that MinHRAC lacks. Thus, we are beginning to wonder if members of the public who feel aggrieved have approached any other institution? And once approached, what did these institutions do? Or, even without being approached, has any other institution approached them and offered their help at a time when clearly a huge number of people need it? Have they even announced their services, their mandates? We appreciate the public’s trust in us. Even before the current crisis, we have actually been quietly providing services not just in Zamboanga but also in the nearby provinces. Those who cared to follow our work know this. For the past 3 years, we have worked hard until we reached a point where we could respond to the latest crisis in the manner we did. But, it has not been easy. Obstacles were thrown our way and are still thrown our way, some from the most unlikely of sources - local and foreign organizations. And this is obvious from our very limited resources. Indeed, some of the obstacles came from the very same institutions who are nowhere to be found in the past 2 weeks. We have indeed paid and continue to pay a huge price for not compromising with our belief that the interest of grassroots communities must not be subordinated to the preferences of powerful foreigners in the aid community. These foreigners have downplayed the capability of locals to respond to an emergency. Worse, they have managed to convince other local institutions that human rights defense and protection of civilians should not go beyond conducting seminars and trainings, a philosophy that only encourages inaction during times of actual emergencies. Shall we really even be surprised they were nowhere to be found during the crucial days of the fighting? But we will spare the public stories of our own issues with these institutions. For now, we urge the public in Zamboanga and Basilan to ask themselves and, more importantly the concerned local and foreign institutions, the questions we raise here. At a time when the public is outraged over the PDAF scandal, perhaps they should also examine how public and aid agency accountability is relevant in crisis-hit Zamboanga and Basilan. . As for us at MinHRAC, we will continue to provide services for free for as long as we have remaining resources and even as one of the 3 heroes of our civilian protection response in Zamboanga will be gone for a month to take an important professional exam. Timing wise, therefore, the questions we raise here could not be more timely because this will mean our Zamboanga team will be reduced to just 2. Friends, my Zamboanga colleagues have risked their lives to protect others. It is now time for us to support them. And support others like them. We are sure there are others out there who belong to other local organizations who has had to go outside the normal calling of his/her job just to fill the gaps left by others. This appeal is for them too. To the people of Zamboanga, particularly those from the hardest hit barangays, you will rise again. God willing. Insha Allah
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 02:24:25 +0000
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