Forging peace through indigenous dispute resolution

From the Philippine Information Agency (May 5): Forging peace through indigenous dispute resolution

For years, if not decades, we have witnessed how government administrations engage in various means and approaches in order to forge genuine peace talks with rebels, insurgents, and recently even with bandits.

Recently, the Kaluarga Association of Moro IPs (KAMI) gathered some 20 indigenous peoples from the Yakan, Sama, and Bajau tribes in Basilan for the Kalilintad (Peace) Mindanao for a forum on indigenous people’s dispute resolution at Langgal School of Living Traditions in Binuangan, Isabela City.

KAMI is a community-based people’s organization that aims to assist on Yakan culture advocacy activity.

KAMI president Salem A. Mohammad said that the program will provide a venue for cultural dialogue and exchanges among the Lumad, Yakan Moro, and the lowland settlers of Basilan to promote understanding and appreciation of the diverse Basilan culture towards sustainable and inclusive peace and development.

The two-day forum held last April 8-9 was funded by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Invited resource persons spoke on cultural dialogue, local history, cultural diversity and coexistence, among others.

Mar Salahuddin, project coordinator, said in an interview that the project was conceptualized sometime in 2016 by the Committee on Traditional Arts of the NCCA to identify common disputes in conflict areas like Basilan and address them.

He said that the activity is participated by those who usually handle disputes and conflicts in their respective communities. During the workshops, they are expected to share their experiences on how they resolve disputes and conflict and to learn from each other in the hopes of finding solutions to life and work challenges.

He said that in spite of the many opportunities that the modern and technology-driven society offers, the IPs continue to experience discrimination particularly in finding employment.

“Even if they met the qualification standard set by the position, still IPs do not usually get the job,” he said.

Although it is not deliberately expressed that they don’t get the job because they are IPs, IPs feel that such is the case and ask that they be given equal opportunity since they feel that they don’t have a chance to get a job outside Basilan. This may become a root for conflict.

Culturally, at least in Basilan, Salahuddin recognized that land disputes within families especially among siblings remain prevalent. Male siblings usually get larger share of the inheritance than female siblings. Again, in some cultural context, the male and female have specific roles that is a standard recognized in a particular tribe or community.

The forum on indigenous dispute resolution may be seen in two ways. Firstly, among IPs they could find indigenous knowledge and practice among IPs that may work well to resolve disputes. Secondly, IPs may identify various and common disputes among themselves that government and concerned agencies may need to address.

KAMI is yet to uncover fully, through the forum, on how to bring genuine "Kalilintad Mindanao" in place. But with the unity within and among indigenous peoples of Basilan, lasting peace won't be that difficult to achieve.

http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1007414