When the Marawi crisis erupted, many of the locals fled the city and took refuge in safer places. Alikman ibn Nata, 37, and his wife Fatima-Aliah Nata, 33, felt compelled to help the refugees, even though it meant leaving behind their children and jobs.
Alikman and Fatima are two of the many humanitarian workers involved in distributing aid to refugees and those affected by the Marawi crisis. They are collecting funds from donors and non-governmental organizations.
“We just distribute aid in-kind. If people want to donate money, we reject it. Please spend the money on goods and give the goods to us. We will then distribute the goods to those in need,” Alikman said in early July.
The crisis in Marawi, the capital of Lanao del Sur province in the southern Philippines, occurred when the Islamic State-affiliated Maute militia group attacked the city on May 23. The Philippine government has put the city under martial law ever since.
The crisis in Marawi is still ongoing. A Reuters report says more than 800 people have died and 500,000 people have fled the city. On Monday (4/9/2017), the 105th day of the battle in Marawi, the Philippine military intensified its aerial attacks by shooting and dropping bombs against the Maute group’s defenses.
After martial law was declared on May 23, the battle in Marawi continues to claim lives.
Alikman and Fatima are Muslim residents of Iligan, a city some 38 kilometers from Marawi. They are both active as humanitarian workers. Alikman is a member of the Youth Muslims of Maranao and Fatima is active in Mothers of Peace.
Alikman had an automotive shop, while Fatima taught at a high school in Marawi. After the conflict erupted in Marawi, Alikman and Fatima entrusted their seven children to their parents in Palawan, a city located on a different island to Iligan. “Many need our help in a situation like this,” Fatima said.
Alikman had to temporarily close down his shop. The couple worked tirelessly in contacting their friends and colleagues at humanitarian organizations to distribute aid. Some who knew them contacted them first.
Selfless
Alikman and Fatima delivered the aid in their double-cabin pickup. “If donors give us money to buy fuel, we will accept it. However, if not, we will still distribute the aid. We buy the fuel with our own money,” Alikman said.
That day, they were trying to get into Marawi to distribute aid to the city’s remaining residents. However, they were prohibited from entering the city by military personnel at a checkpoint.
They also went to Barangay Tongkopan in Pantao Ragat, which borders on Marawi. They visited more than 100 refugees from Marawi who were staying with relatives there and had yet to receive any aid.
The couple brought medicine, sandals and baby needs for the refugees. “Since we became refugees, this is the first time someone has come here to bring us help,” said refugee Solaiman, 50.
This confirmed Alikman’s observation that many refugee centers were unregistered and had not received assistance from either the government or humanitarian agencies.
Alikman and Fatima also gave a blue teddy bear to a four-year-old girl named Princess Juhaina. The plush toy had been donated by a girl named Chrisna in Davao city, Mindanao, to Fatima to be given to a refugee kid.
“The toy was given to me by a Catholic girl in Davao. She said it was her favorite toy. She wanted a refugee kid, most of whom are Muslims, to have the toy, as she thought the refugee kid would need it more. This proves that humanitarian solidarity transcends the boundaries of religion and ethnicity,” Fatima said.
Refugees in Tongkopan, Pantao Ragat, fled their homes when the conflict erupted. When the first shots were fired, they remained in their homes. However, when planes began to drop bombs, they immediately left the city. Some fled their homes in cars and other on foot to Pantao Ragat.
“These were among the first ones to leave Marawi,” Alikman said.
The next day, Alikman and Fatima collected donations from people and humanitarian organizations in Iligan. They brought rucksacks of basic needs and baby needs to be distributed to refugees in Ditsaan-Ramain, isolated by the Marawi conflict.
Humanitarian drive
Once she returned from Ramain, Fatima showed her sadness. “The people there are hungry, as they have nothing to eat. If the government neglects them, they plan to join the Maute group that promises them money,” Fatima said.
Alikman and Fatima strongly condemned the attacks launched by the IS-affiliated Maute group.
What encourages them to help the refugees and locals in Marawi is a sense of humanity. They are saddened by locals being stranded and starving due to the Marawi crisis. For them, the crisis is a manifestation of politics of power and money, apart from terrorism.
Crises are triggered not by religious issues. This is affirmed by the fact that a large portion of the aid they distribute comes from donors of different beliefs to the Marawi refugees.
