Militants protest Malaysian forces' alleged rights violations

Members of a militant group picketed the Malaysian Embassy in Makati City before noon Wednesday and protested the operations by Malaysian security forces to hunt down the followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

The protesters from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan also demanded that Malaysia be held accountable for alleged human rights violations, radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported.

Furthermore, the protesters demanded that Malaysia allow Philippine government representatives to investigate the alleged abuses.

Police did not intervene and the protesters completed their program. They left peacefully before noon.

The Makati City government estimated there were 25 protesters along Tordesillas Street.

Malaysian security forces had been conducting operations in Lahad Datu to flush out Kiram's followers.

Kiram offered a unilateral ceasefire last March 7 but Malaysia rejected it, and insisted the Kiram's followers surrender unconditionally.

Strongly denied allegations

On Wednesday, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry rejected allegations that their security forces were violating the rights of Filipinos living peacefully in Sabah.

“The Malaysian Government wishes to assure all concerned that the Malaysian authorities continue to act in accordance with the applicable domestic laws and international law in discharging their responsibilities in the face of blatant aggression by the armed militant group from the neighbouring southern Philippines,” said the Foreign Ministry in a statement released Wednesday.

The Chief of Royal Malaysian Police in Sabah, on March 10 had denied the allegations, with the Minister of Defense doing the same on March 11. “The Minister of Defence of Malaysia... also strongly denied allegations that the Malaysian security apparatus are randomly targeting Filipinos of Suluk/Tausug descent in Sabah.”

The Ministry went on to say that the allegations of human rights abuses was published by the “Inquirer” daily, “and those reports clearly run counter to professional journalism.”

The report was also characterized as fabricated lies intended to damage relations between Malaysia and the Philippines. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/DVM, GMA News