MARAWI CITY – This year’s Ramadan, the month of fasting among Muslims worldwide set to start Monday (May 6), and is expected to be bleak anew in this lone “Islamic city” of the Philippines.
Melodious sounds of azan (call to prayer), which is basic in the solemn observance of Ramadan, will not be heard again from mosques, especially in the so-called “ground zero” here.
“Ground zero” is comprised of 24 barangays where majority of 160 mosques have remained in ruin since the siege here of Daesh-inspired militants of Dawla Islamiya and Abu Sayyaf groups on May 23, 2017.
Some of the over 201,700 displaced residents have been allowed to return home and occupy housing units built outside the “ground zero” or most affected areas (MAA).
Government authorities said the MAA will only be opened for returning evacuees after the clearing of debris and unexploded ordnances in August or September this year.
Over 45,000 displaced families, according to local and international welfare organizations, remain stranded in evacuations camps in urban areas of Northern Mindanao and other parts of the country.
Not only azan and congregational Ramadan prayers will be absent in evacuations centers, but also substantial food rations, especially those containing nutrients needed by fasting Muslims.
Ustadz (Islamic cleric) Paisal Hamid, who went around evacuations camps the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and other parts of Northern Mindanao, said the refugees or bakwits were lacking regular food rations, water for drinking and hygiene, and healthcare.
“Fasting is virtually is daily recourse for the evacuees from over two years now. But the essential parts of fasting (like praying and partaking nutrient foods) would only be imaginary among them,” Ustadz Hamid told The Manila Bulletin in Maranao.
Hundreds of bakwits have returned and occupied government resettlement shelters outside the MMA.
Because no market place has been built yet in the resettlement areas, majority of the shelters’ occupants depend on food donations from humanitarian groups and individuals.
“Some little cash donations will not be enough to buy foods or goods due to transport cost (in market places else elsewhere),” a resettled evacuee said.
Maranaos stranded in evacuation centers or sheltered in relatives’ homes have renewed clamor for state authorities to let them come home and spend Ramadhan fast in this war-torn Islamic city.
“We have extreme penitence in evacuation centers. We hope President Duterte will hear finally our prayer for homecoming. Ramadhan will be dull for us again but we want to observe it at home,” a crying student evacuee, Ismael, told The Manila Bulletin
Melodious sounds of azan (call to prayer), which is basic in the solemn observance of Ramadan, will not be heard again from mosques, especially in the so-called “ground zero” here.
“Ground zero” is comprised of 24 barangays where majority of 160 mosques have remained in ruin since the siege here of Daesh-inspired militants of Dawla Islamiya and Abu Sayyaf groups on May 23, 2017.
Some of the over 201,700 displaced residents have been allowed to return home and occupy housing units built outside the “ground zero” or most affected areas (MAA).
Government authorities said the MAA will only be opened for returning evacuees after the clearing of debris and unexploded ordnances in August or September this year.
Over 45,000 displaced families, according to local and international welfare organizations, remain stranded in evacuations camps in urban areas of Northern Mindanao and other parts of the country.
Not only azan and congregational Ramadan prayers will be absent in evacuations centers, but also substantial food rations, especially those containing nutrients needed by fasting Muslims.
Ustadz (Islamic cleric) Paisal Hamid, who went around evacuations camps the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and other parts of Northern Mindanao, said the refugees or bakwits were lacking regular food rations, water for drinking and hygiene, and healthcare.
“Fasting is virtually is daily recourse for the evacuees from over two years now. But the essential parts of fasting (like praying and partaking nutrient foods) would only be imaginary among them,” Ustadz Hamid told The Manila Bulletin in Maranao.
Hundreds of bakwits have returned and occupied government resettlement shelters outside the MMA.
Because no market place has been built yet in the resettlement areas, majority of the shelters’ occupants depend on food donations from humanitarian groups and individuals.
“Some little cash donations will not be enough to buy foods or goods due to transport cost (in market places else elsewhere),” a resettled evacuee said.
Maranaos stranded in evacuation centers or sheltered in relatives’ homes have renewed clamor for state authorities to let them come home and spend Ramadhan fast in this war-torn Islamic city.
“We have extreme penitence in evacuation centers. We hope President Duterte will hear finally our prayer for homecoming. Ramadhan will be dull for us again but we want to observe it at home,” a crying student evacuee, Ismael, told The Manila Bulletin
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