Monday, December 30, 2013

MILF: Two barangays of Talayan, Maguindanao declared as Zone of Peace

Posted to the MILF Website (Dec 30): Two barangays of Talayan, Maguindanao declared as Zone of Peace



“After long years of sacrifice and perseverance of our team, including the parents and the community leaders, we have finally witnessed the declaration of Barangay  North Binangga and Katibpuan in Talayan, Maguindanao as Darussalam or Zone of Peace,” Norman Abbas said, the project officer of Kadtuntaya Foundation Inc. (KFI) in a community gathering held at Barangay Katibpuan on December 21.
  
Abbas explained before the huge crowd the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed and signed by community leaders of Talayan.

“Among the important contents of the MOU is, ‘whenever armed groups enter these barangays to conduct operations they must first coordinate with barangay officials or community leaders’,” Abbas disclosed.

“Showing of firearms in these two barangays is restricted,” he added.

“Selling, pushing and using illegal drugs or drinking liquor in the community as well as employing illegal fishing methods that would destroy and affect fauna, fries or fingerlings are also prohibited in these barangays,” he stressed.

According to Abbas, the copy of the MOU will be distributed to the security sector, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders in the area, concerned barangays, municipal and provincial local government units of Maguindanao, traditional keaders, Tiyakap Kalilintad, civil society groups and other peace partners.

Mr. Alex Virtanen of the Non-Violent Peace Force-Philippines (NPP), International Civilian Protection Monitor who witnessed the signing said, “The best way to achieve harmonious living is to declare peace.”

Virtanen, in his message expressed appreciation to the community’s effort for embarking on peace initiatives and sustaining economic development in these barangays.

Abdulnasser Binasing of the KFI, said, “Darussalam or ‘Abode of Peace’ based on the KFI definition and understanding, has twelve important descriptions and must have:

•    Social cohesion and unity among the member of the community;
•    Greater tolerance and respect to others culture;
•    Unity against any form of oppression and social injustice;
•    Promotion of what is good and prohibition of what is bad;
•    Continuing Islamic education and value formation;
•    Enhance equitable distribution of economic prosperity of justice;
•    Adequate distribution of basic social services;
•    Respect of gender rights;
•    Peaceful resolution of  community conflict;
•    Care of environment and ecosystem;
•    Respect human rights; and
•    Just, fair and quick trials and judgment).  

Teng Latip, Provincial Coordinator of Tiyakap Kalilintad, challenged the community members to strictly follow the contents of  the MOU. “This initiative have positive impact to the ongoing peace process between the government and the MILF, Our community is already advanced in the observance of soon-to-be implemented Shariah Justice System in the new Bangsamoro government,” Latip said.

The activity was a community and Tiyakap Kalilintad-led initiative with support from the barangay local government units (BLGU’s) of Municipality of Talayan, and the KFI.  

Representatives of international and local groups that witnessed the declaration of Darussalam were: NPP; Community and Family Services International (CFSI); Regional Reconciliation and Unification Commission (RRUC), ARMM; KFI; United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD); B/LGU, and some members of MILF.

Tiyakap Kalilintad is a Maguindanaon vernacular for “Care for Peace”. It is composed of civilian local peacekeeping teams organized to help sustain the cessation of hostilities and strengthen grassroots peace building in the conflict-prone areas in Central and Southwestern Mindanao.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/740-two-barangays-of-talayan-maguindanao-declared-as-zone-of-peace

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.