Five other persons, two of them children, were also wounded by mortar fire or stray bullets.

Neneng Abdulkarim, Rhomidie's mother, said they were awakened by a blast at around 11:30 p.m. on August 22.

She said she immediately lit the gas lamp and saw bloodied Rhomidie on her right and beside him, his bloodied sister, Rabia, 7.

Rabia suffered from wounds on the left side of her leg and is suffering from trauma.

While in the hospital, Rabia panicked upon hearing the drone of the OV-10 Bronco bomber planes.

"Natatakot na siya pag may OV-10 na dumadaan. Iniisip nya na baka may bomba uli," (She’s afraid. When she hears the OV-10 pass, she thinks there’ll be another bombing,” her mother said.

The bombings partly ruined her house and other personal belongings.

Neneng wants justice and indemnification.

At present, she said, they are relying only on the assistance of the local government and assistance is barely enough since they are nine in the family.

Earlier, on August 19, three-year old Ramlah Anda suffered shrapnel wounds when government troops fired howitzers towards Barangay Maitung, Northern Kabuntalan, Shariff Kabunsuan believed to be an MILF area.

The gymnasium in Datu Piang is now an evacuatio center. Photo courtesy of Mindanao Tulong Bakwet

Ramlah, who suffered severe wounds on the left side of her foot, is still in a Maguindanao hospital.  Her sister Raisa, 13-year, was also wounded on the left side of her waist while fleeing.

On August 20, Rolex Abubakar, 32, was hit by a stray bullet on his back at Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. Guiamilon Salilong, 50, of  Datu Piang  and Intan Malang of barangay Kalumamis, Guindulongan were also wounded while evacuating from their areas.

But Col. Marlo Salazar, chief of the Army’s 601^st Brigade, denied allegations that civilians were killed or wounded during their attack on Datu Piang and instead blamed the situation on the MILF.

The military has closed the road from Barangay Kitango to Datu Piang town since Saturday, due to fighting between government troopers and the 105the  Base Command of the MILF in barangays Dapiawan and Madia in Datu Piang.

CHILD OF WAR. Ramlah, 3, with her mother. Photo courtesy of Mindanao Tulong Bakwet

The Mindanao Tulong Bakwet (MTB), one of  the humanitarian groups allowed to enter the war zones, is  alarmed over the mounting number of children victims of armed conflict in Maguindanao. The group urged the two sides to consider the welfare of thousands of civilians who are suffering; to stop the atrocities; and to return to the  negotiating table.

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Elsie Alim said at least 7,000 families or about 35,000 individuals have fled their homes in some parts of Datu Piang, Mamasapano, Datu Saudi, Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak all in Datu Piang and from Northern Kabuntalan in Shariff Kabunsuan.

The local government has been providing for the needs of the displaced but its supply is not enough.

Illnesses such as diarrhea, chicken pox, fever, measles, cough are common in the evacuation centers here, especially among children.

Evacuees are seeking shelter in schools, relatives’ houses, in Barangay Mother Bagua, Rosary Heights 3 and Rosary Heights 11 in Cotabato City, while a number opted to stay along the streets of Guindulungan, Datu Saudi and Mamasapano towns, in makeshift tents beside their carts packed with things.  (Sittie Sundang, MindaNews contributor,  is a member of the staff of Mindanao Tulong Bakwet).

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