They used to fight in the mountains trying to outsmart each other and count the dead.
Now for the first time, police and Army personnel have engaged the Muslim rebels in a "fight" in a new arena: in the hardcourt for a basketball game which was part of the
It was not important who won the game it was how they play and "fight" in a sports that hope to start camaraderie among former combatants.
“The last time they fought like this was in the battlefield,” said Jocelyn Lambac Kanda, Sarangani peace program officer. “This time their fight was inside a basketball court and cheered by many.”
The arena is called OlymPeace (Musabaqah), a friendly athletic competition participated in by different teams from the province’s local peace partners like the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Philippine National Police (PNP), International and Local Monitoring Teams, former rebels, provincial government and media.
"OlymPeace" started on Tuesday and ended Thursday at the provincial capitol grounds.
The activity was successful after Gov. Migs Dominguez directed all provincial officials and department heads to give their utmost consideration to the delegations and cooperation for the success of the Musabaqah.
Kanda said the "OlymPeace" is the highlight activity integrated in this year’s 4th Musabaqah, an intramurals of the 2,500-strong Muslim youth from the 49 Islamic schools in Sarangani.
"As the province was working towards achieving a participative and inclusive peace process, the activity likewise served as a venue of friendship for those we perceived enemies of the government and will strengthen our built relationship with them,” Kanda told reporters.
She added: "OlymPeace have provided a space for healthy engagement of different peace workers regardless of their organizational affiliations, beliefs and principles.”
The activity, according to Kanda, also “sent a message that we can give peace a chance by opening oneself to give way for the possibility of working together.”
“The OlymPeace was considered significant instrument of successfully integrating the Moro constituents of the province into the mainstream of governance and promoting camaraderie among peace stakeholders,” she added.
According to Beverly Paoyon, Saranggani information officer, Sarangani is generally peaceful. Its local government has invested in empowering its people so that they may be able to participate in governance and identify their own problems and solutions.
“We have proven that a culture of dialogue can be institutionalized and it is very effective in bridging the gap between people or groups that have conflicting standpoints,” Kanda said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=519934
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