Pagpati'ut - Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

It is hard not to notice that the scores (that is, the frequency of
respondents who agree with the statement) in communities with ‘active-
other Barangays (See Table 13). Conversely, the opposite can be noticed
Recall that Masjid Pujungan is remote and hard to reach. The active-
and concerned agencies to bring in services.
hence very limited local government services are poured in. People in
these communities are trapped not just in violence, but more insidiously,
trapped in the mindset that they need to take sides between the two
warring factions. The sad part is, most often, these warring groups are part
of the same, extended family clan.
“It is in these communities lawless groups proliferate, get support, and
get recruits as the seeming hopelessness of the situation leaves people
with no option. The cycle of violence, victimization, and radicalization of
dissent is carried over for generations.” (Oreta, J. 2012. The Sulu Equation.
Business World, January 24.)
P R E S E N T A T I O N & A N A L Y S I S O F F I N D I N G S
“In the study done by Philansa (Philippine Action Network on Small Arms) 18
in 2007, “farmers from Mindanao… have described…(an) impressive range
14s, M-1s, .38 and .45 pistols and revolvers, paltik (locally-manufactured
guns), rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), M-79s, PV-49s, landmines,
machine guns (30/50/60), and 81mm mortars.” (PhilANSA 2008) 19
“If you don’t have a gun here in Sulu (Mindanao), if your home is not
armed, you will be crushed. Instead we use our guns for defense, so that
18 PhilANSA is now called PhilANCA or Phil. Action Network to Control Arms
19 2008. “Voices to Silence Guns” PhilANSA (Phil. Action Network on Small Arms) Publication, p.12.
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