PHILIPPINES Mindanao, Peace Week to build harmony after conflict

Organized by the Religious Leaders Conference (MiRLeC), the Week has been held since 2001, and will continue until December 4, remembering the steps taken after the prolonged war between the Manila government and local Islamic militias with a balance of more than 100,000 deaths. The challenge of giving the Bangasmoro agreement a future. Edwin A. de la Peña, Bishop of Marawi: “Choosing peace in daily actions.” Young leader: “Faith can transform hearts and communities.”

Mindanao () – From the horror of the violence of an armed conflict that lasted decades and left more than 100,000 dead – which broke out uncontrollably in 1969, during the Ferdinand Marcos regime – to the steps taken to achieve lasting peace . A path that began with the first agreements of 1996 until the Bangasmoro Comprehensive Agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2014. From today until December 4, the Mindanao Week of Peace (MWoP) will be celebrated in the Philippines ) with the theme “Preserving the achievements of peace, solidarity and resilience”, an annual event born in 2001 to support development and protect peace in the region, remembering the wounds of the past.

The conflict in Mindanao involves local Muslim populations who have been fighting for their right to self-determination for centuries. Despite significant milestones, including the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the path to peace remains threatened by several crucial issues: poverty, social inequalities and lack of credible governance. and adequate attention to the areas most affected by the conflict. That is why the participation of numerous actors in Peace Week is so important, including the government, local communities, NGOs and also international partners.

The Mindanao Religious Leaders Conference (MiRLeC) – which promotes the initiative – is made up of Christian bishops and priests, Muslim ulama and representatives of indigenous populations. It supports the peace agenda of the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., president since 2022. The MiRLeC was revitalized by the three co-founders of the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC): former Archbishop Fernando Capalla of Davao, Dr. Mahid Mutilan and the Protestant bishop Hilario Gómez, whose membership demonstrates that leading people from various religious communities recognize the role of faith in promoting peace. Peace Week is an opportunity for religious leaders to promote harmony in communities.

“In Mindanao Peace Week 2024, let us reflect on the achievements made and commit ourselves to the cause of peace, solidarity and resilience. Now more than ever, it is essential to choose peace in our daily actions and decisions,” declared Bishop Edwin A. de la Peña, in charge of the prelature of Marawi, one of the areas most marked by conflict in recent years. “Let us give power to our young people, because they are the protagonists of a future of peace,” continued the prelate.

The Conference of Religious Leaders puts young people at the center of its initiatives, although not only them. “We must mobilize people from all social classes for peace, happiness and prosperity. We must come together to embrace the spirit of love, unity and compassion,” says Arriana Kani Jupakkal, a young local leader. “In a world that often feels divided, we embrace the values ​​of compassion, kindness and understanding. Our humanity and the desire for peace and harmony unite us, regardless of our beliefs – he added -. Let us support each other in prayer and help, recognizing the beauty and power of faith to transform hearts and communities.” To ensure that peace is maintained, people, especially women and youth, must embody the spirit of dialogue. Many are already working to foster understanding and are committed to promoting harmony between different cultures and beliefs.

“Together we continue to help and encourage each other as we work to build peace through interfaith and intercultural dialogue,” said Dr. Mohamad Nadzir Ebil, secretary general of the Islamic religious organization Hay-ato Ulama. For his part, Carlito G. Gálvez Jr., presidential advisor for Peace, stated that “this year’s theme encourages us to look back to learn from the lessons of the past, while we look to the future and move towards the goal we we all want: a peaceful, prosperous and progressive Mindanao.”