DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/17 December) – The Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (MinHRAC), scheduled for launching on October 31 but reset to a later date upon the request of Commission on Human Rights chair Leila de Lima, will finally be launched this morning at the Pacific Heights & the Marqueza in Cotabtato City, with de Lima as keynote speaker.

MinHRAC is convened by representatives of the Moro civil society -- the Bangsamoro Lawyers’ Network, Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, Bangsamoro Women Solidarity Forum, Inc., Kadtuntaya Foundation, Inc., Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, United Youth for Peace and Development, United Youth of the Philippines, Bangsamoro Center for Just Peace, Kangudan Development Center, Inc., Indigenous Peoples Resource Center, Al Ihsan Foundation and Moro Law.

Affected and distressed by the military operations and aerial bombardment of the forces of the Philippine Marines in Sitio Talibang, Buansa, Indanan, Sulu, on the day of the Eid’l Fitr celebration of September 20, 2009, as well as the impact brought about by said operations to thousands of residents in Sulu, particularly in the municipalities of Indanan and Panamao;

Cognizant of the fact that, in addition to: 1) the Ei’dl Fitr Incident, 2) the State of Emergency that was previously placed on the entire province of Sulu due to the kidnapping of three ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) volunteers early this year, and 3) the most recent explosion within the premises of the Jolo Municipal Hall, the situation in the province has remained fluid, volatile and explosive;

Aware that public pronouncements made by government agencies and entities have come out to be contrary to the unpublished or unpublicized pronouncements made by other sectors and stakeholders involved in, or affected by, the said Eid’l Fitr incident;