Thousands of people forced out of their homes by the worst fighting in more than a year between the rebel MILF and government forces in the Maguindanao province of the southern island of Mindanao in early January 2005, managed to return by the end of the month. The displaced - estimates of their number range between 8,000 and 21,000 people - sought refuge in three schools in the municipalities of Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak and Datu Unsay where they were assisted by the local authorities, supported by the IDP relief and rehabilitation component of the European Commission-funded UN/Multi-Donor programme of Mindanao. Both sides were quick to play down the incident and claimed that it would not affect the upcoming peace talks scheduled to take place early this month.
More than 400,000 people were displaced in Mindanao in 2003, following the resumption of major armed combat between the MILF and government forces. Although the vast majority of the displaced managed to return home in the months following the July 2003 ceasefire, an estimated 60,000 remained displaced at the end of 2004, unable or unwilling to return to their homes due to the continued militarisation of their home areas and a lack of rehabilitation assistance. In cooperation with the Philippine government, the UN is currently conducting an 18-month rehabilitation program addressing the needs of these IDPs.