The recurring displacement of indigenous people from natural disasters and armed conflict in Caraga over the years have underlined the need for timely reporting and proper documentation of these incidents.
BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – The recurring displacement of indigenous people from natural disasters and armed conflict in Caraga over the years have underlined the need for timely reporting and proper documentation of these incidents.
This has prompted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to build community capacity to monitor, document and report incidents of displacements through a protection monitoring and information management training, 17-18 February.
The training is a follow up of the consultation UNHCR conducted with indigenous peoples groups and local government units in the region last October 2014. The indigenous people groups specifically from the Manobo, Higaonon, Banwaon, and Mamanwa tribes lamented the under-reporting or non-reporting of their plight during and after displacement.
“The indigenous people are one of the most vulnerable groups in the community. They are often discriminated and neglected due to their race, color and nomadic way of life putting them at risk of human rights violation. Also adding to this already dismal situation in the region is its direct path to typhoons that force these people to flee their homes,” said Brenda Escalante, UNHCR Assistant Protection Officer.
The Caraga region places itself more disposed to cases of displacement due to the unpredictable nature of armed conflict between the NPA and AFP. The feedback gathered from the previous consultation indicated that reporting was minimal due to the reluctance of communities to report incidents and their fear of being exposed.
“This shows that there is very limited information and reporting is weak in conflict-affected areas of the region. This will, in turn, affect the monitoring mechanism of human rights defenders and will hamper the delivery of their services,” added Escalante.
Understanding what protection is, aided with the basics of documentation, and the mechanisms in reporting, will help vulnerable groups in the future as to whom they should seek assistance from and coordinate with at the first instance of displacement.
“Either in situations of natural disaster or armed conflict, generating the right figures and putting a face to the numbers is always tantamount to ensuring the safety and dignity of the displaced population,” said Escalante.
Contact Persons:
Brenda Escalante 09175972142 | [email protected]
Kent Bolisay 09155921568 | [email protected]
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