Internal displacement occurs practically every year in Mindanao's Caraga Region. It is a direct result of armed confrontation between state and non-state entities. Local governments that are impacted struggle to devise sufficient initiatives to address these issues. A more coordinated reaction to internal displacement would be more cohesive and unified. There is a need for specific responses to conflict-induced displacement scenarios.
There should be no emphasis on whether the displaced population sympathizes with one conflict actor over another. The primary objective should be to foster trust between impacted communities and safeguard the human rights of displaced, vulnerable groups. Only voluntary options (integration, return, and resettlement) should be applied. The councils investigate participatory approaches for integrating at-risk populations in government land use and development planning procedures.
