Rampant violations of human rights in Sulu
The bigger part of operations conducted by the regime's armed forces against the Abu Sayyaf is comprised, not of actual clashes between the state's soldiers and the bandit group, but of many severe violations of human rights and destruction of lives, communities and properties of civilians.
From March 5-7, a group investigated human rights violations against the people of Sulu in relation to years of militarization in the area. It was composed of representatives from Karapatan; Kapatut, a Moro human rights organization in Zamboanga City; and Concerned Citizens of Sulu (CCS), a group of lawyers, doctors, businessmen, teachers and church leaders advocating the welfare of people affected by military operations against the Abu Sayyaf bandits. The investigation was conducted in the face of intensifying military operations attendant to Balikatan 02-1.
The following have been excerpted from narrations of residents in the villages visited by the group.
Bombings, burning of houses, theft and dislocation
One morning in February, Philippine Air Force planes flew to Barangay Darayan and suddenly started bombing communities and schools. After the bombing, the soldiers came. According to residents, from February 12 to 15, the military burned down 273 houses situated around a school. No one lives in the area up to now. Anyone found there is accused of being a bandit.
Residents of Barangay Kabbon Takkas who were forced to evacuate due to militarization lived at the Daymala Elementary School for 18 months. On November 22, 2001, three bombs were dropped on the school, causing tension among the evacuees. The military, which was aware of the presence of residents, argued that the pilot had made a mistake in bombing the school.
Because the school was no longer secure, 70 families made a five-hour trek, evacuating from Barangay Kabbon Takkas to Barangay Danag, Patikul. They are now cramped inside classrooms at the Danag Elementary and High School. The evacuees wait outside the classrooms while classes are held during the day. Others have set up makeshift dwellings in the schoolyard. Some children have suffered from skin ailments that, residents say, developed after their areas were bombed.
On November 21, 2001, the 7th IB robbed and burned down the house of Radzata Usman, a teacher from Barangay Caunayan. She related that her family left their home on November 19 because of an armed encounter between the military and the Abu Sayyaf in nearby Barangay Buhanginan. They left their household appliances behind. After two days, the military conducted an operation in Barangay Caunayan. The military's guide warned her to bring out her family belongings because the military was going to burn down their house. The house had already been burned by the time she got there. There were signs that the military robbed them before torching the house. The soldiers also cut down their banana and bamboo trees. The military burned down 18 houses in this rampage. Most of the villagers have not yet been able to return to Barangay Caunayan.
Some houses were also burned in Barangay Buhanginan. In some areas, the military stole and slaughtered the residents' farm animals. The villagers said that the animals were brought out aboard military trucks.
Killings
On September 18, 2000, the military conducted operations in Barangay Darayan, Patikul. The military killed a man who refused to join the evacuation and burned his body. Also in September, military troops burned the body of Abdumasul Salani, 19, after arbitrarily shooting him down as they met him walking from the school. Only the back of his head was unburnt.
According to the CCS, 22 civilians remain missing since the military began conducting pursuit operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.
Hunger and clashes between civilians and the military
Severe hunger plagues residents of the area. They are unable to attend to their crops lest they be mistaken for Abu Sayyaf members and be shot at. They might also be hit by bombs. Despite such danger to their lives, some residents have armed themselves and dared to go to their farms just to be able to get food. Whenever they figure in clashes with the military, the AFP reports the incidents to the mass media as encounters with the Abu Sayyaf.
| 
