ICC NOTE: A formal complaint was filed to the United Nations against the Philippine government as there has been little effort to quell the violence against the indigenous people of Mindanao following the burning of a church run evacuation center. On February 24, para-military groups attacked a church refugee center inuring at least five people including two children. The indigenous people of Mindanao are predominately Christian, much like the rest of the Philippines. Mindanao has been the center of Islamic radical violence against Christians as it is the predominant Muslim Island within the nations chain. If refugee centers are targeted by Islamic radicals and paramilitary groups, where can people fleeing persecution and violence go?

3/9/2016 Philippines (UCA News) – A human rights group has filed a formal complaint with the United Nations against the Philippines over the burning of a church compound that serves as a sanctuary for refugees in Mindanao.

The harassment of refugees seeking shelter in the church compound “shows a lack of understanding of their plight and a lack of concern for their safety and welfare,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of human rights group Karapatan.

At least five people, including two children, were hurt when a church-run evacuation center in the southern Philippine city of Davao was torched on Feb. 24.

The temporary shelter for the displaced tribal people stands inside the compound of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

Karapatan filed the complaint during the 31st session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva this week.

Church groups in Manila supported the filing of the complaint.

Redemptorist Brother Regan Gatdula said the situation of displaced communities “should be given attention and importance” by everybody.

He expressed hope that the United Nations will be able to influence the Philippine government to act on the complaint and “leave the lumad alone with their ancestral lands.”

The indigenous people of Mindanao are collectively called lumad.

In Geneva, the daughter of a slain Filipino tribal leader, Dionel Campos, gave an account of the killing of her father.

Michelle Campos told the U.N. session how members of a paramilitary group shot and killed her father and another tribal leader, Datu Juvello Sinzo, and tribal school head Emerito Samarca.

Data from the indigenous peoples’ group, Katribu, shows that about 60 tribal people in Mindanao have been killed since 2010 when President Benigno Aquino came to power.

Katribu’s documentation shows that the killings have intensified in 2015, claiming 15 lives.

(Full Article)