Red Cross fears for civilians in south Philippines

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Red Cross official appealed Saturday to government troops and Muslim separatist rebels not to harm civilians as they battle each other in the worst fighting in the southern Philippines in five years. Dominik Stillhart, International Red Cross deputy director of operations, urged both sides to comply with international humanitarian law "to spare civilian communities and allow delivery of relief assistance." Stillhart told reporters in southern Cotabato city that the Red Cross is increasing its relief operations in the southern Mindanao region, which he said was suffering from its worst clashes since 2003. The Philippine government's disaster agency says more than half a million people in the region have been displaced or have lost their homes and livelihoods since violence erupted last month following an aborted peace accord between the government and rebels.