IDMC welcomes new peace deal in Philippines, but warns that challenges remain
In a public statement released today, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) welcome the signing of a peace deal between the government and rebel group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), but warns that there are wider issues in the region that need to be addressed before stability can be secured.
“The recent signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro is a positive step that is set to bring an end to 40 years of conflict” Says Elisabeth Rasmusson, Secretary General of NRC. “It offers the hundreds of thousands of people displaced in recent years the prospect of rebuilding their lives”. The Agreement recognises the need to set up programmes to assist internally displaced people (IDPs) and the government’s efforts to develop legislation to address the needs of internal displaced people are a further cause of optimism.
“While the signing of the Agreement is a welcome step forward, it must not detract from other conflicts and tensions that are causing large numbers of people to become internally displaced, particularly in Mindanao” says Frederik Kok senior country analyst at IDMC. “Feuds between clans – known locally as rido –have become the primary cause of internal displacement in the region, while threats remain from other armed Moro rebel groups.”
The ongoing violence has also negatively impacted on Mindanao’s economy, which remains largely dependent on the exploitation of natural resources and on black market activities such as the trafficking of humans, small arms and drugs, and the smuggling of other goods.
“If both parties are sincere in their commitments to peace and development, they must now work together to address the wider underlying causes of displacement” says Rasmusson. “Only then will the region’s cycle of violence and displacement be broken”.
To arrange an interview with Frederik Kok, Senior Country analyst on Philippines for IDMC contact:
Clare Spurrell, Head of Communications, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
E-Mail: clare.spurrell@nrc.ch Mobile: +41 79 379 89 52
To arrange an interview with Elisabeth Rasmusson Secretary General of NRC, contact:
Erik Abild, Political and Media Advisor Norwegian Refugee Council
Email: erik.abild@nrc.no Mobile: +47 47419946
About IDMC: The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) (www.internal‐displacement.org) was established by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in 1998, upon the request of the Inter‐Agency Standing Committee (IASC). Monitoring internal displacement caused by conflict, violence, human rights violations and natural disasters in over 50 countries, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is widely respected as the leading source of information and analysis on internal displacement throughout the world.
Visit www.internal‐displacement.org for more information.
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