Army reaches out to religious leaders in working for peace in Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 24): Army reaches out to religious leaders in working for peace in Mindanao

The military here has reached out to different religious leaders as it sustained shifting of advocacy from war to peace.

On Sunday, Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr, 6th Infantry Division commander, invited to this camp leaders of various faith for an ecumenical peace rite.

Lt. Colonel Markton Abo, civil military relations chief, said the objective of the gathering was to disprove notion that the military is only for Christians.

Galvez said primarily, the gathering of religious leaders aimed to instill in the minds of all people that spiritual solidarity is important in attaining peace in the island which for decades had been hounded by war and violence.

The 6th ID chief said the simple peace rite is in support of Malacanang's peace programs with Moro sectors and to sustain Mindanao's peace process.

The 6th ID covers the provinces of Maguindanao, known as hot bed of Moro rebellion, part of North Cotabato, part of Lanao del Sur and the whole of Sultan Kudarat.

It was the first ecumenical prayer initiated by the Army since this camp was established in 1987.

Among the participants was a Kenyan Catholic nun, Scholastica Mutua, who has been in the region since year 2000. She stressed the importance of promoting religious understanding among various faith to attain genuine peace.

Galvez said Sunday's gathering of religious leaders was not the first but the beginning of partnership between the military and religious sectors.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=934124