The Evacuation Of Two Hundred Individuals Trapped In Battlezone - 25 August 2008

The NP-Philippines team in central Mindanao continued their efforts to secure the evacuation of hundreds of families trapped by heavy fighting in the area yesterday. One of NP's local Field Officers currently staying with his family in an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp in Datu Piang town (close to the area of fighting) found an opportunity during a brief lull in the firefight to reach the location of the families, together with two local officials. The NP officer informed the Ceasefire Committee, local Mayor's office and Armed Commanders on the ground and rushed to the town along with more NP staff. More than 200 individuals were successfully evacuated after being trapped by the fighting for more than four days.

The NP team, along with its local partner the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), are continuing to monitor the evacuation centers in Datu Piang and Datu Saudi municipalities and to meet with local authorities military commanders there. NP's Central Mindanao field office had to be evacuated on the 22nd of August before the firefight broke out between Armed Forces of the Philippines and the forces of Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The whole area has been undergoing intense fighting since then and no one is allowed to pass through the check points to get back into the area, so the NP team is temporarily displaced to another location.