| Written by Jong Cadion,
on 05-12-2007 10:28
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Views : 433  |
Favoured : 16 |
Published in : The News, Events |
Tags : week of peace, mindanao, interfaith, umma fih salam, ufs, human rights, paz, salam, foundation, rido, redo, ulama, ochotorena, subanon, muslim, cabajar, maruhom, cerilles, ancestral domain |
Pagadian City – “To Bring up to date the development and challenge the public to actively participate the Mindanao Week of Peace and to own and give deeper meaning the spirit of the celebration, and the realization that all people in Mindanao are also part of the long quest for peace and solidarity in this land,” these are the objectives of the week long activities spearheaded by INTERFAITH Forum for Solidarity and Peace, Umma Fih Salam (UFS) and other concerned groups, in a press conference conducted on November 29, 2007 at San Jose Parish here as the first salvo of the Mindanao Week of Peace and 59th Universal Declaration on Human Rights Day. Mindanao Week of Peace and 59th Universal Declaration on Human Rights Day The Mindanao Week of Peace is a comprehensive promotional activity that involves various NGO’s and PO’s in advocating the culture of Peace in the Southern Philippines. It is a celebration of PEACE which was initiated in Zamboanga City by Peace Advocates Zamboanga Foundation, Inc. (PAZ) and SALAM Foundation in 1997. It has snowballed into a Mindanao-wide event as adopted by the Bishop-Ulama Conference and perpetuated as an annual observance through Presidential Proclamation 127, S.2001 (To be celebrated every last Thursday of November to first Wednesday of December or November 29 to December 5, 2007)
Rev. Eric Calgas, Interfaith Convenor read the history of the Mindanao Week of Peace and the purpose of the celebration and the presentation of the celebration theme “Building Bridge of Peace with our Peace Officer”.
Three Issues Presented1. Mining problems presented by Jong Gunot from Earthlink’s, that peace is the indication of justice from the equal rights system of governing the politics, economy and environment and the principle of environment is that “Environment will survive without man but MAN can not survive without the Environment.” And we can not afford these to happen since 1982 until 2005 there are 15 big tragedies which resulted in the distraction of our environment that. It resulted in the loss of life of people and damages that run into billions of pesos in the ecosystem of our environment, the report said. (see some article with comments on mining here)
2. Ancestral Domain presented by Ms. Vicky Cajandig from Pegsalabukan Bangsa Subanon (PBS) and; 3. Culture of Peace (specifically the issue of RIDO or family vendetta) that a reputable institution, the Asia Foundation, Inc. conducted a study and supported a household conflict survey among Muslims and found out that while the Muslim-Christian conflict in Mindanao dominates the attention of international and local press, clan conflicts or better known as “rido” are actually more pertinent in the daily lives of the Moro People. These findings, which were again verified in a more recent survey in Muslim communities, particularly in the ARMM, by the Social Weather Station, illustrate the complexity of conflicts in Mindanao. This was presented by Sultan Maguid Maruhom from UFS.
Only one of the PNP, Provincial Director Ramon M. Ochotorena out of six invited was present to give their response and commitment during the press conference. Pagadian City Mayor Samuel S. Co and Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Governor Auring Cerilles sent only their representatives. DILG Provincial Director Abcede Asjali, Tabak Commanding General Nehemias Pajarito and Bishop of Pagadian Most Rev. Emmanuel Cabajar were absent. PNP Committed to Long Lasting Peace
“Our direction in the PNP is to go forward with our mission to attend a long and lasting peace together with the community. Internally also, the PNP is working to have internal house keeping in our organization to come up with transformation programs. We are conducting a re-engineering process to improve the delivery of public safety and to be responsive to the needs of the people in the community,” PD Ochotorena said.
“With all these problems presented that makes it complicated to all of us. It is not a discouragement to us instead we can still find ways like this kind of activities, forum and dialogue and some other ways that we can find solutions. In behalf of the entire forces of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial office we will commit to support the activities, programs and actions of this forum for the good and to protect the life and property of the people of Zamboanga del Sur and of Pagadian City,” PD Ochotorena disclosed. Last update : 17-01-2008 20:14
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