34 Filipinos from Sudan back in the Philippines

Thirty-four Filipinos who were stranded in Sudan safely arrived back to the Philippines on Tuesday evening, according to a report by GMA Integrated News’ Bam Alegre on “BaliTanghali” on Wednesday.

Among the repatriates are some Islamic scholars who recalled the horrors they encountered in the conflict-torn country.

“’Yung sitwasyon namin kumbaga hindi biro. Naghihintay kami ng Embassy eh wala kaming mainom o makain. May maiinom pero kaunti-kaunti lang,” said Dindo Liambawa, an Islamic scholar who stayed in Sudan for a decade.

(Our situation there was dangerous. We're waiting for the Embassy but we don’t have water or food supply. We had water but it was not enough.)

“Nagp-pray kami noong Eidl Fitr, ‘yung na putukan na. Andon kami sa loob ng Khartoum tapos lumikas kami sa university, ganon din gulo-gulo rin. Pero nahuhulog ‘yung mortar, mga bomba. Palipat-lipat lang kami,” he said.

(We were praying during the Eidl Fitr when the bombings started. We were in Khartoum. We evacuated to the university but the situation there was the same. We moved from place to place.)

Haniph Bin Michael Francisco echoed Liambawa’s remarks and said thievery was also a problem amid the conflict.

“Mahirap po. Palabas pa lang ng Khartoum sobrang hirap na kasi sa mga karatig na probinsya ng Khartoum, looting na. Lahat ng mga buildings ay sinunog ng mga tao at mga bus, sasakyan, nakaharang sa mga daan,” he said.

(It was difficult. Even getting out of Khartoum was tough because looting was prevalent in nearby provinces. The buildings there were also burned while the vehicles were blocking the roads.)

“Marami pong pagnanakaw. Hindi lang mga sundalo at bala at bomba kinatatakutan namin pati na rin mga magnanakaw,” he added.

(There were a lot of thieves. We were scared of them.)

The first batch of repatriates from Sudan, involving 17 Filipinos, arrived in Manila on Saturday.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said two more groups were expected to land back in the country on Thursday while 188 more Filipinos are seen to be repatriated via chartered flights.

At least 104 more are also expected to go home next week.

“Sa panahon ng kaguluhan, mayroong mga pinagdadaanang mga proseso kahit na…dahil ang Egypt ay nag-iingat din sa pumapasok sa kanilang bansa,” said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Anthony Morales.

(Even at times of conflict, there are processes. Egypt is just being careful about who they are letting inside their country)

“Medyo ang iba naman po ay walang visa talaga sa pagtawid sa Egypt dahil sa Sudan lang sila. May proseso pong dinaanan at hindi talaga makapasok agad ang ating Embassy,” he added.

(Other people don’t have visas when crossing Egypt. There are processes we need to follow.)

Meanwhile, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMP) will welcome the second batch of Islamic scholars and will provide them with hotel accommodation. They will also discuss how the students will continue their studies.

“Ang opisina namin ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng ahensya na nakipag-ugnayan sa amin. Sa lahat ng opisina lalong-lalo na ang DFA para marescue ang ating repatriated Islamic scholars,” said NCMP-NCR Division chief Junainah Nuska.

(Our office is thankful to all the agencies who coordinated with us, especially the DFA who helped us in rescuing the repatriated Islamic scholars.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News