The Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC), and its secretariat, the Initiatives for International Dialogue, presented a statement calling both the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to stop the new war in Pikit. As official armed forces and tanks arrived in Pikit, the residents of up to 11 Pikit barangays started an exodus to safer areas. Now in Pikit, there are an estimated 4,000 evacuee families or 20,000 individuals. The armed forces stated they were there to protect the civilians, but the civilians had fled to avoid the fighting they were sure from experience would begin. The Mindanao Peoples Caucus appeals to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to respect the 2001 ceasefire agreement between the Philippine government and them.
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