JOLO, Sulu, 31 August 2006 — Hundreds of Muslim villagers, mostly children and women, greeted US and Filipino soldiers yesterday as they distributed goodies in two towns torn by fighting between security and Abu Sayyaf forces in the southern Philippine island of Jolo.
The crowd cheered as the soldiers drove in a convoy of trucks, armored vehicles and jeeps to Indanan town, scene of fierce battles since last month.
“They are here, they are here, the Americans are here, yeah, welcome Joe,” a teenager shouted, as he flashed a victory sign while the convoy passed.
US troops in full battle gear were waived and smiled endless to the huge crowd as if they had come back from war. “Wow, this is great. The people are friendly and warm. We love them,” one US soldier said.
Timhar Aluk, a farmer, said he came along with his seven children and two wives to see the American soldiers.
“We heard a lot of good things about the white men. They give medicines and build school and renovate mosques in our land and they are also active in humanitarian work. We hope they would stay here much longer because we need them to help us and fight the bad people up there in the mountains, the Abu (Sayyaf),” he said.
American and Filipino soldiers distributed medicines, school bags and other supplies to children and women. Senior military and government officials also held a ground-breaking ceremony for development projects costing of 52 million pesos on the island.
Soldiers distributing school supplies were overwhelmed by cheering children. Some soldiers told fairytale stories to the young and the old alike. “We are here to help the people,” said Lt. Col. Mike Halbig, of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTFP).
Before coming to Indanan, the soldiers, accompanied by the governor of Sulu province, Benjamin Loong, inaugurated the area coordination center in Panamao town. A US helicopter also unloaded other donations, including sewing machines donated by the Yokohama International Baptist Church in Japan.
“Now that the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has assured the security in western Sulu, we can commence these critically needed quality of life improvements for the people of Sulu,” said Col. James Linder, commander of JSOTFP.
Linder said the US military is also helping renovate the three-story building of the Jolo cooperative marketplace which was damaged by a bomb exploded by suspected Jemaah Islamiyah militants in March, killing five people and wounding 22 others.
“Thousands of citizens will benefit from new roadways, wells, schools and medical center improvements, and the renovation of the Jolo cooperative marketplace,” he said.
Two more area coordination centers will also start construction in the town of Indanan. The centers, funded by the US military’s Pacific Command, offer the community a place for livelihood training, community gatherings and communication hubs. “It is an exciting time in Sulu. The deserving people of Sulu have chosen peace and prosperity for their future and a better life for themselves and their children. The people see how prosperity can thrive in an environment when it is safe from threat of transnational terrorists,” said Linder.
“This development will bring jobs, better educational opportunities and better medical care for these communities, something the Abu Sayyaf group and the JI cannot offer,” Linder said.
Lt. Col. Jim McAllister said more projects are underway to help bring back peace on the island. “The people have distanced themselves from the lawless and terrorist elements that once lived in their communities,” he said.
US officials have cited Sulu and the nearby island-province of Basilan as a success story in their government’s global war against Al-Qaeda-linked militants. While training and equipping local troops to fight the militants, the US government also sent its engineers to Basilan to build roads, school buildings and health centers. Basilan’s leaders and people responded by helping flush out the rebels.
