Muslim Sariah Press Release June 5, 2000 MORO GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES SCORE PhP1.4
BILLION MORE FOR MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN MINDANAO AS public servants, Muslim government employees criticized the Estrada government for approving the additional PhP1.4 Billion of people's money for the military operations in Mindanao. In a press release, they said that while public services and the welfare of state workers continue to deteriorate due to lack of national budget, President Estrada and the Philippine Congress could readily make available money of destructive purposes. The Muslim state workers have formed an organization, which they called MUSLIM SARIAH. Sariah is an Arabic word for march, as the organization's call is to join the march for peace and justice in Mindanao. They said that they are responding to the important mission of getting involved with public policies that affect them as Muslims and public servants. Muslim Sariah Spokesperson Ren Jalaluddin Ropeta said that "We call upon President Estrada to stop an all-out war policy in Mindanao and instead spend the PhP1.4 billion fund of government in addressing the urgent needs of the victims of his administration's own war in the area. It could have been better if these funds were put into a relief and rehabilitation program for the hundreds of thousands of evacuees than further the damage due to the military offensive. Let the government rebuild what it destroyed in Mindanao. Let the Estrada administration spend for the lost homes and livelihood of these poor Filipinos." It is ironic that President Estrada has declared as "zones of peace" the ravaged areas where the presence of the government troops that are still mounting shellings and bombings. How can there be peace amidst fighting and reported human rights violations by government soldiers and its para-military and vigilantes? Mr. Jalaluddin Ropeta added that there could be no peace when the government is even willing to spend more for war. Aside from this, the government must also allocate more funds to education, health services, housing and other services instead of pursuing the policy of privatization. We are also waiting for the positive response of this administration for our demand for higher salaries and benefits as state workers. The Muslim Sariah will be officially launched on June 12. They said that they choose the Independence Day to underscore that the real issues in Mnidanao conflict are freedom and justice.# |
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