IDPPAR no. 21: Forced Displacement in Guindulungan and Talayan Municipalities, Maguindanao Province due to Family Feud, Issue no. 1
INCIDENT BACKGROUND
On 8 November 2020 at around 7 o’clock in the morning, residents of Barangay Muslim, Guindulungan Municipality and Barangay Lower Katibpuan, Talayan Municipality in Maguindanao Province were forced to flee their homes following the emerging tension between the local feuding families. This hostility between the feuding families occurs at intervals and for a couple of years already given the absence of genuine solutions to resolve the conflict.
CURRENT SITUATION
As of 12 November 2020, the LGU of Talayan, through its Municipal Social Welfare Officer (MSWO), recorded a total of 110 families (95 families from barangay Muslim and 15 families from Barangay Lower Katibpuan) with approximately 450 individuals forcibly displaced. The displaced families have sought refuge to safer grounds in Barangay Katibpuan and Barangay North Binanga, all in Talayan Municipality.
The IDPs built makeshift tents using plastic tarpaulins previously provided by UNHCR when they were displaced three months ago, while the others opted to stay with their relatives in the host barangays. The living conditions of the IDPs were aggravated by the downpour and flooding in the municipalities. Some IDPs were even using banana and coconut leaves to cover the muddy grounds in order to create sleeping spaces. Moreover, there are no sources of potable water in the displacement sites prompting them to purchase water for drinking. The local officials of Barangay North Binanga provided the IDPs with water for household chores as well as one (1) bathing cubicle for women. Given their current situation, the expressed needs of the IDPs are sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, water containers and hygiene kits.
The LGU of Talayan, through the Social Services and Development Office has already distributed 25 kilos of rice and 10 packs of noodles per family.
Many IDPs mentioned that they are clueless on how long they will remain in the evacuation site since the conflict remains unresolved, and there are presence of armed men from the warring parties in Barangay Muslim. Given this, firefight might erupt any time. For more information, please download the IDPPAR.
