War-torn town gets back on its feet

From Rappler (Oct 31): War-torn town gets back on its feet

The town of Aleosan found itself at the center of hostilities in 2008 following the failure of the peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Houses were burned and destroyed in the crossfire, and in Central Mindanao, nearly 700,000 people were left without a home. Four years later, both sides signed a Framework of Agreement that sets the stage for the setting up of a Bangsamoro region in Mindanao. When we arrived here on Monday, October 30, we saw no trace of tension in the area, save for the presence of two army trucks.  Col. Roy Galido, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines 40^th Infantry Battalion, confirmed that some members of the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM), who instigated the 2008 conflict, reside in the area, but he stressed that the likelihood of conflict is minimal because the community does not want any more of it.  “The Freedom Movement will try to make a statement. Most of [the army’s] work here is on law enforcement. We’ve been building confidence for years. Most of them are also residents here,” he said. The town's community-based approach in settling conflict has been effective in preventing any major battles from happening again. Leaders in each local government unit work together and personally talk to the residents concerned to address even the smallest disagreements in the area. It's an inclusive and tolerant process, Galido said.  “They are our people, too. The start of peace is to open our lines to everybody,” he said. “Once conflict erupts, who will be the first victims? Their families. Of course, they don’t want that...."

http://www.rappler.com/nation/15155-aleosan-moving-from-the-center-of-conflict-to-a-place-of-peace