An international human rights group has appealed to the Philippine government to withdraw its plan of deploying civilian militias to augment security at private mining operations, citing the possibility of human rights violations in local communities.
Amnesty International (AI) cited the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) report that such militias, including the Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGUs), have been responsible for arbitrary detention, torture, and killing of local community leaders.
The group said the use of such militias at remote mining areas has put indigenous people at risk, according to the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on indigenous issues.
President Benigno S. Aquino III earlier approved the proposal to deploy private soldiers after forces from insurgent group New People’s Army (NPA) attacked mining operations in Surigao del Norte.
“The military cannot ensure proper discipline and accountability for the militias and paramilitary groups, creating an environment conducive to human rights violations,” AI said in a statement.
The group alleged that President Aquino’s decision to deploy militias would complicate the problem, “in which some CAFGU called the Special CAFGU Active Auxiliary Units (SCAA) will be seconded to private entities to secure their interests.”
“While the SCAA will be equipped and managed by the military, they will be on the payroll of the mining firms,” it claimed.
Earlier reports cited that an initial batch of 200 SCAA will begin work with two mining corporations, while additional SCAA units will be deployed upon the request of other mining firms.
Meanwhile, some CAFGUs will be deployed under the military and some under the police, in addition to the 41 SCAA units of 100 personnel each trained by the military, AI claimed.
It said the Philippine government would “remain responsible for human rights violations committed by militias, which the military has trained, equipped and deployed, even if they are securing private interests of mining corporations.”
“The mining corporations should consider the risk of complicity incurred by companies that have financed militias who commit serious human rights violations,” it claimed.