|
The
combined efforts of the ICRC, the PRC Marawi Chapter, the local
government unit, and other nongovernment organizations made
possible the distribution of emergency food rations, essential
household items, and hygiene kits to more than 2,300
conflict-affected families, most of them displaced since
February from six barangays in Lanao del Sur.
(BY-NC-ND / ICRC /
A.G. Marohom) |
Aid for 12,500
displaced people in Lanao del Sur
By ICRC
July 4, 2016
MANILA – The
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expresses its concern
for thousands of people from Butig, Lanao del Sur, who remain
displaced following clashes between government forces and an armed
group in late May to early June.
“Thousands of civilians in
Butig were forced to flee their homes in February, when the first
clashes began. Some were able to return in April, and just when they
started planting a new crop, they were forced to flee their homes
again in May, when hostilities resumed,” said Dominic Earnshaw, head
of the ICRC office in Cotabato.
“Now many of the displaced
are living with relatives and depend heavily on their kin and the
authorities, as they are still too afraid to go back home. Civilian
houses were also destroyed in the fighting. We ask all sides in the
conflict to exercise utmost precaution to protect civilians and their
property,” he added.
Between June 8 and July 2, the ICRC, together with the Philippine Red
Cross (PRC), provided food and household items to around 12,500 people
displaced from Butig. The distributions took place in Butig and
neighboring Lumbayanague municipalities as well as in Marawi City. The
ICRC-PRC assistance augmented the aid provided by the government and
helped families meet their basic needs.
Each displaced family
received 25 kilograms of rice, 12 tins of sardines, 2 liters of
cooking oil, 2 liters of soy sauce, 2 kilograms of sugar, 500 grams of
salt, and essential household items including two blankets, two
mosquito nets, one sleeping mat, and one hygiene kit.
Prior to its relief
operation in Butig, the ICRC conducted its own assessments and
coordinated closely with community leaders, the Department of Social
Welfare and Development, and nongovernment organizations.
The ICRC is a neutral,
impartial, and independent humanitarian organization whose mandate is
to protect and assist people affected by armed conflict and other
situations of violence. It has had an established presence in the
Philippines for more than 70 years and a permanent presence in
Mindanao since 1982.
