COTABATO CITY ? Mortar shelling and air strikes by the military on suspected lairs of Moro rebels under Ameril Ombra Kato in Maguindanao have kept displaced civilians from returning to their places of origin, concerned groups told Deputy Speaker Simeon Datumanong in a dialogue last week.

The evacuees have ?increasingly become dependent? on relief aid for livelihood in the absence of bold government plans for community rehabilitation, said Guaimel Alim, chair of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society Organizations (CBCSO). He cited reports by local network groups of the European Union.

The CBCSO is working with peace advocates and Christian members to ?stop the war? through continuing talks with various sectors, including the military.

Kato, the prime target of the military operations, has denied in a video statement that his group burned houses in Aleosan, North Cotabato and the San Isidro chapel in Midsayap town.

Two other MILF leaders ? Abdullah Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo, and Alim Pangalian ? were being hunted following reports that their groups killed civilians on Aug. 22 in Kauswagan and Kapatagan towns in Lanao del Norte in a rampage after the aborted signing of a proposed Bangsamoro homeland between the government and the MILF.

Alim said local peace consultations had indicated that it was ?next to impossible? for Kato to leave the areas of military operations, especially in Maguindanao, ?because he is from the place.? Kato?s family even owns a parcel of land in the province, Datumanong said.

The armed conflict displaced some 611,000 people in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, North Cotabato and Maguindanao last year, Zen Malang of the Moro Law Center said. Around 50,000 have decided to stay in the evacuation centers in Datu Piang town out of fear of returning to their villages nearby.

Alim said there were not as many atrocities resulting from military operations against Bravo and Pangalian in Lanao del Sur compared to those in Maguindanao.