COTABATO City—The Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao government gets support from the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees in the establishment of the ARMM Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response
Team, an emergency rapid response team intended to help curtail impact of
disasters in the region.
The
two parties inked a memorandum of agreement Thursday (August 22) afternoon to
formalize and outline their collaboration, with the UNHCR giving an initial
funding of US$20,000 to help bankroll the launching of the program in
identified pilot areas.
UNHCR
has earmarked a total of US$100,000 for the program, in addition to the
technical support and a vehicle it is going to provide to the response team.
ARMM
Governor Mujiv Hataman said they are pushing for the creation of the ARMM HEART
in view of the huge humanitarian impact of man-made and natural disasters in
parts of the region.
Data
gathered by the UNHCR and the Regional Human Rights Commission for ARMM show
that at least 54,745 persons have experienced various displacements in ARMM
over the last 18 months.
A
breakdown of the cumulative data reveals natural disasters as the leading cause
of displacements in the ARMM, accounting for 57% of total displacements or
199,979 persons, followed by armed conflict at 20% (70,989 persons), crime and
violence at 12% (41,587 persons) and rido or clan feuds at 11%
(40,885 persons).
Lawyer
LaisaAlamia, the region’s executive secretary, said that apart from responding
to emergencies, ARMM HEART will help ensure the protection of internally
displaced persons.
The
autonomous region groups the island-provinces of Basilan Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and
the mainland-provinces of Maguindanao and Lanaodel Sur.
