Forced relocation: How well does our government know?

Since the conflict in Zamboanga City began between the followers of Nur Misuari and the government soldiers, more than 100,000 residents were evacuated. Among those evacuated had their houses terribly destroyed, and so, must face relocation. Relocation is not an easy answer to the problems of the affected families. It will mean a lot to them especially if they are used to living in their old houses and they are deprived of immediate access to their sources of living in their new places. Most of the residents, especially the Badjaos, however, seem to have relieved of their choice. They have been forcibly relocated to Cawa-cawa village from Rio Hondo and Mariki villages, where they originally reside. It is interesting to know, however, that the latter villages mentioned were not actually part of zones where the real armed conflict took place. Nonetheless, locals living in those villages were coerced to move out, giving concerned evacuees a chance to condemn such order. The city governments protective impulse cannot be questioned on ascertaining the welfare of its native citizens. Though families from Rio Hondo and Mariki villages were not actually affected by the combat, they were howbeit asked to leave their homes because, maybe, the city government glanced at the possibility of Misuaris group coming back and bringing disturbance to the tranquil villages as well, thus, giving sensible explanation as to why residents in an unaffected area need to be forcibly evacuated too. The problem is they are not merely evacuated but forcibly relocated. Intuitively, there is a difference between those terms. When one is evacuated, he or she may go back to his or her home after being placed in a safer area, depending on his or her discretion. Meanwhile when one is forcibly relocated, he or she is permanently removed from his or her home and shall be relocated in a new place with or without his/her discretion. Now, this can bring a reasonable urge for affected residents to react. Yet, while these families were adaptively living and coping in their newly found village in the shorelines of Cawa-cawa, it is upsetting to know that in just seven months, they are compulsively uprooted for the second time. Furthermore, even if it is against their will, they seem to have no right to oppose again. The presence of specialized security forces ensures their compliance to abandon their second homes. This has obviously presented an abuse to their rights. It is understood that the state has its sovereign power, and this power should be for welfare of society.

In the case above, however, there is no clear justification as to how the need for relocation will benefit the society. Assistant social welfare officer Leonida Bayan does not even have any reasonable explanation for the need to demolish houses and forcibly relocate affected families in the village. It just aggravates the situation of aggregate people living simple lives in their new community. Just imagine someone in the position of those poor Badjaos. The city government and other responsible authorities do not appear to care whether any or all of the injured parties will agree to be relocated to Mampang and Arena Blanco villages. They do not seem interested whether forcibly uprooted families will have their sources of living. They think everything will turn fine, because water, electricity, food, and bunkhouses are already promised. But was there a time that the government superbly met its promises? They do not know how inconvenient it is for affected people to live in bunkhouses. They do not realize how difficult it is to depend on the government. What the people need is an effective long-term solution, not a promise.