ICG prods gov’t on Maguindanao massacre By Mario J. Mallari 04/05/2010

ICG prods gov’t on Maguindanao massacre

By Mario J. Mallari 04/05/2010 The International Crisis Group (ICG) has urged the government to expeditiously try and convict the perpetrators of last year’s Maguindanao massacre of at least 57 civilians, including 32 media practitioners, if only to bring justice to the victims. Apart from this, the ICG stressed the government must improve security in the country by ending private and local funding for civilian auxiliaries to the police and military and asserting far more control over procurement and issuance of firearms and ensure the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) moves forward. The ICG noted that on the pretext of fighting the MILF that the powerful Ampatuan clan, whose members were tagged as involved in the gruesome Nov. 23, 2009 massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province, built their private force through the government accredited militias. The ICG, however, maintained the carnage may “offer opportunities to make progress in the areas of justice, security and peace.”.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100405hed3.html

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