REPRESENTATIVE OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL ON INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS CONCLUDES VISIT TO PHILIPPINES

13 November 2002




The following statement was issued today by the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons:

At the invitation of the Government of the Philippines, the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons, Dr. Francis M. Deng, undertook a mission to the Philippines between 6 and 13 November 2002.

With this visit, his first to the country, Dr. Deng aimed to better understand the situation of internal displacement in the Philippines and to dialogue with the Government at the national, regional and local levels, civil society, the United Nations country team, the donor community and other international partners. His mission to the country, which included visits to the affected areas, represented a good opportunity to explore ways of enhancing national and international responses to the plight of the internally displaced.

The Representative met with central, regional, and local authorities, including Teofisto Guingona, Vice-President of the Philippines, Blas Ople, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Manuel Dayrit, Secretary of the Department of Health, Franklin M. Ebdalin Under -Secretary of Foreign Affairs; Maria Lourdes V. Ramiro Lopez, Assistant Secretary - United Nations Office at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Feliciano Gaziz, Under-Secretary of the Department of National Defense and other officials from the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Eduardo B. Ermita, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Maria Merceditas Gutierrez, Under-Secretary of the Department of Justice and Head of the Presidential Committee on Human Rights, Purificacion V. Quisumbing, Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights, Franklin Drilon, President of the Senate, Jose de Venecia Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Virginia Bonoan Dandan, Chairperson of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Dr. Deng visited Mindanao from 8 to 10 November and met with Parouk Hussein, Governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Nabil Tan, Executive Secretary of the ARMM Regional Government, Ibrahim P. Ibay, Speaker of the ARMM, Muslimim Sema, Mayor of Cotabato City and Hja. Banion G. Karon Secretary of the DSWD-ARMM and the mayors of the municipalities of Barira and Buldon. He also visited the Barangays of Langcong, Matanog, Tugaig, Kabayuan, Rumadas and Mataya, in the Maguindanao Province and met with the community leaders and both the still displaced and the resettled families, with particular attention to the needs of displaced women and children. The Representative also visited Dhawa Evacuation center near Cotabato City, the only remaining center in the area for IDPs resulting from the clashes that occurred in 2000 between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The Representative was also briefed by the Armed Forces in the area on their ongoing activities and operations. He also met with representatives of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and discussed with them the situation in general. Back in Manila, the Representative visited Payatas, a resettlement site, where a number of displaced families have been resettled, and dialogued with their representatives.

During the mission, the Representative met with the United Nations country team and agencies, as well as with representatives of the donor community and of non-governmental organizations.

The Representative regrets not to having been able, for security reasons, to visit, Basilan, Sulu and other areas where operations were reported to be taking place and said to have resulted in more displacement.

Although instances of displacement for a variety of reasons have occurred in the Philippines over the last decade, current displacement is largely concentrated in Mindanao and is mostly attributed to the armed conflict between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 2000; that year, more than 300, 000 persons were internally displaced. Displacement has reportedly also resulted from on-going anti terrorism operations in some areas of the country. The situation of the deportees from Sabah was brought to the attention of the Representative who expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Government in addressing their needs.

In his discussions with the authorities, the Representative of the Secretary-General began by explaining the approach he has adopted for the discharge of his mandate, which is based on recognizing the problem as internal and therefore falling under state sovereignty. However, the Representative sees sovereignty positively as a concept of state responsibility to protect and assist its citizens, if necessary with the cooperation of the international community. Dr. Deng sees his role as a catalytic one of promoting international cooperation with the Government in discharging its responsibilities towards its citizens.

With respect to the situation in the Philippines specifically, Dr. Deng observed the overall positive developments in the country in the promotion of democratic values and respect for fundamental rights and civil liberties. He noted in particular that appropriate laws and institutional arrangements were put in place to provide needy populations with protection and assistance. He also noted appreciation the key role played by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSDW) in the affected areas and the close cooperation with the United Nations and other international partners in addressing the needs of the displaced.

Nevertheless, despite the significant level of assistance being provided to the internally displaced, the situation on the ground revealed a continuing need for protection among the displaced, the returnees and the host communities at large. The disconnect between national policies and the gap in implementation made the affected populations feel isolated, neglected and alienated, all of which fueled the general discontent in the region.

The Representative believes that the formulation, articulation and dissemination of national policy and strategies of response to the challenges of internal displacement would be a positive step in assuring the displaced of the Government's concerns for their plight.

Another idea that came out of the discussions with the relevant authorities was the need for establishing national focal points with the express mandate to ensure that the needs of the internally displaced are effectively met. Such focal points would also facilitate coordination among the relevant organs of the Government at all levels and with international partners.

It should be noted that the problem of internal displacement in the Philippines, affecting tens of thousands according to the estimates of the DSDW, is relatively small compared to the situation in many other countries. However, for those affected, numbers are irrelevant and in any case the essence of human rights is that every individual is a subject of concern. The Philippines would give a good example of respect for human rights and humanitarian values by responding to the needs of the displaced, however few they may be. In the longer term, the aim should be to assist the displaced to return, resettle, reintegrate and rebuild their lives in dignity and to shift from relief to development in full accordance with their rights as citizens.

While responding to the protection and assistance needs of the internally displaced is a high priority, it must be underscored that the root causes of internal displacement in Mindanao are inherently linked to the status of development and governance in the region. In calling for the intensification of efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict, the Representative was encouraged to see that there is a high degree of willingness from both sides in the conflict to continue the search for a long lasting peace. Nevertheless, there is a need to move the peace process forward, to promote national awareness on the root causes of the conflict in Mindanao and the quest for a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace.

The Representative is encouraged by the commitment of the authorities to incorporate the use of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement in the formulation of appropriate policies and legislation addressing the problem of internal displacement. Dr. Deng noted with appreciation that the various organs of the Government, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, the DSDW, the Senate and the House of Representatives were interested in convening a national meeting on internal displacement and the Guiding Principles. In the discussions, the need to address the issues of displacement and migration through cooperation with the countries of the region was stressed. In this context the Representative supported the initiative of the Government to study the possibilities of convening a regional seminar on good practices in addressing internal displacement.

The Representative will elaborate upon the findings of his mission in a report which will be submitted to the General Assembly and to the Commission on Human Rights. He will also share the findings of his mission with the United Nations Secretary-General and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee which is composed of all the major human rights, humanitarian and development organizations.

Dr. Deng has been the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons since the position was created by the Commission on Human Rights in 1992.


For further information, contact Pablo Espiniella in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva: tel. +41 22 917.13 94.