Civil society groups call for end to hostilities

Manila: Civil society organisations from the Philippines and Malaysia have called for a dialogue between followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and Malaysian security officials as fighting in Sabah continued.

In a statement, 59 Filipino and 15 Malaysian civil society organisations joined hands in calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Sabah.

“We the undersigned Civil Society organisations (CSOs) from Malaysia and Philippines are extremely concerned over the on-going standoff between the Malaysian security forces and followers of the Sultanate of Sulu’s heirs, Jamalul Kiram III at Lahad Datu, Sabah.

“Together with all individuals, organisations and networks, urgently call upon President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia and Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, to disavow all forms of violence, and instead support dialogue as the primary mechanism for a resolution to the siege,” the CSOs said,

Likewise, the CSO called for “swift and peaceful intervention,” into the matter.

“We urge all parties to resist from using force while remaining committed to dialogue and negotiation throughout this process,” it added.

Malaysian police said Saturday that they had detained 79 suspects linked to Filipino intruders in Borneo as they intensify an operation to flush out members of a Filipino Muslim clan who took over a village last month.

The armed clansmen have caused political havoc for Malaysia and Philippines by trying to stake a long-dormant royal territorial claim to Malaysia’s sprawling, resource-rich state of Sabah in Borneo. Most of the Filipinos eluded capture in a coastal Sabah district filled with palm oil plantations and forested hills after Malaysian forces attacked them with airstrikes and mortar fire on Tuesday.

National police chief Ismail Omar said 79 men and women, held without trial under a security law, were being investigated for their links to the gunmen.

He said they were detained outside the conflict zone but didn’t give further details. The detainees are believed to be informants or food suppliers to the gunmen, but it’s unclear if they were Malaysians or Filipino nationals.

Ismail said a Filipino gunman was killed early Saturday after he tried to escape a police cordon.

Separately, the international watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Malaysian authorities to provide truthful information on what is happening on the ground in the areas of the fighting. According to reports, at least 70 combatants have died from the fighting between members of Karim III’s Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu (RASS) and Malaysian security forces.

Phil Robertson, HRW deputy director, Asia Division said: “The situation on the ground in the conflict zone in Sabah is still quite murky and the government of Malaysia should provide clear and accurate information on what has occurred.

Both HRW and the civil society organisations said intervention is necessary as well as an immediate declaration of humanitarian ceasefire to allow concerned agencies to ensure the safety of women, children, elderly and non-combatants.

They said Malaysian authorities should declare “safe zones” where humanitarian organisations and relevant agencies can install facilities to be accessed by those who are injured and require immediate medical care.

Similarly, they called for Malaysian security forces to “cease and desist from using excessive force and armed violence to end the prevailing conflict.”

According to reports, Malaysian security forces have declared a food blockade in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kampung Tanduo in Sabah.

Early last February, some 200 members of the RASS landed in Lahad Datu from Tawi-Tawi in southern Philippines to enforce their claim to Sabah as part of Sulu territory.

The Sultanate leaders believe that they have legitimate claim on Sabah, a territory rich in mineral and natural resources but Malaysia disputes this assertion.