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Organization: BALAY REHABILITATION CENTER (PHILIPPINES)
The following information may be cited or quoted as long as the source is accurately mentioned and the words are not taken out of context.
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade?

In June 2003, Balay supported the "Bakwit Power" - it is a first-ever  collective action of  evacuees in three towns in Cotabato and Maguindanao to call the government forces and the MILF rebels to silence their guns.  This lead to the bilateral declaration of ceasefire by the parties in conflict.  

With the truce in place, Balay was able to contribute in the development and subsequent declaration of the Space for Peace in Pikit, North Cotabato in November 2004. It is composed of seven villages covering more than 22,000 people of mixed ethnicity and religion (Muslims, Christians, Indigenous People). The villagers in these areas have committed upon themselves to work together and live in peace despite their ethno-cultural uniqueness.

At the same time, the Children as Zones of Peace was declared by the villagers and school authorities in Pikit. The declaration recognized the right of children to be protected from violence at all times, and that duty-bearer have to work together to attain  a social condition for  sustainable peace to flourish.

The Space for Peace was  made possible by the decision and action of the civilian villagers. They were supported  by NGOs, religious leaders, and local  authorities. The peace panels of the government and the rebels have formally recognized the Space for Peace. There has been less violence in the communities after the Space for Peace was declared.

As a member of the Mindanao People’s Caucus (MPC), Balay joined the grassroots-initiated effort to monitor the ceasefire and to call the attention of the Ceasefire  Committee for the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to intervene in situations that tend to violate the ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF. The peace panels have acted upon reports of the Grassroots Ceasefire Watch ("Bantay Ceasefire"). The peace negotiations between the parties in conflict is ongoing.

OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?

It seems that the threat to the ceasefire and community peace-building initiatives in Mindanao are the government’s campaign against  terrorism. Military actions have been launched against so-called terrorists operating in rebel-controlled areas. This has poised some concern over the MILF who denied they are supporting terrorists. They warned that the military operations, if not carefully pursued, may violate ceasefire agreements.

The slow and inadequate delivery of rehabilitation and development services by government authorities in conflict-affected areas may be perceived by stakeholders as sign of   insincerity by authorities.

Meanwhile, there is no ceasefire between  the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF). This is perceived to be a negative indication on the prospects of the peace process. The US government and a number of European countries have tagged the Communist Party of the Philippines a terrorist organization. This has added strain on the peace negotiations between the government and the NDF. At the moment, the New People’s Army has stepped up its armed  actions against the military and its collection of its so-called "revolutionary tax" from civilians. The fighting between the two forces has affected lives and livelihood of civilians.

ACTIONS: What actions have been undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?

Balay has promoted a culture of peace by undertaking  participatory programs  and activities that consider the culture and aspirations of the stakeholders in Mindanao since 2001 . Among them are:  

- Holding of a series of peace camps among the  youth
- Seminars on "culture of peace" and human rights
- Facilitating community dialog between Christians, Muslims and Indigenous Peoples ("Lumads"); and assistance to community-based conflict negotiation and social integration.
- Support  community-based livelihood programs
- Providing educational assistance to displaced children
- Promoting respect of human rights of  civilians
- Campaigning for the peace talks and  permanent cessation of hostilities

The following recent activities may be highlighted:

* In August 2004, the School Twinning Project between the students of Miriam College (Christians) in Manila and the students in Rajahmuda High School (Muslims) in Cotabato was launched. Known as Building Bridges of Understanding and Solidarity Project,  there has been an improved understanding of cultures and situations between the student-partners six months later. In May 2005, teachers from Miriam College will meet their counterparts in Cotabato for a joint faculty training.  The success of the project will be replicated in five other schools.

* September 2004 - in observance of the International Day of Peace, Balay was co-convenor of a Forum on Gains and Challenges in Peace Advocacy in the Philippines. It also participated in a photo-exhibit on peace initiatives organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)

* Formation of the Sulong CAHRIHL - a civil society initiative to monitor the peace process between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF); it also seeks to promote observance of human rights and international humanitarian law among civilians caught in conflict and the actors in conflict. Balaty is a member of this network.

* In October 2004, Balay organized the Mindanao Young People’s Summit for Peace and Development attended by more than 100 participants from 50 youth organizations. The YPS produced a declaration which contains a set of recommendations and calls from the young people. The declaration was acknowledged by the peace panels and committed to include the concerns of the youth in the peace negotiations. The MILF sent a representative during the summit and had a dialog with the participants.

* In November 2004,  the Space for Peace was declared in Pikit, Cotabato (See answer to Q1).

* Declaration of  "Children as Zones of Peace"  (CZoP) in Pikit, Cotabato in November 2005.  The CZoP project consisted of the making of a teaching-learning modules for public schools in conflict-affected areas in cooperation with the Department of Education Region XII. The modules  revolve around six themes, namely: peace, healing, tri-people history, conflict management, disaster management, children's rights. This was also a training of teachers and the delivery of teaching-learning materials. There was an improvement in the number of children who went to school when the program was implemented. Teachers have noted an increase in children participation and completion rate. There was also a decline incidents of child abuse in schools, and the parents have shown a marked interest in supporting their children’s education. The program originally covers seven schools in seven villages. Now it will expand to seven more schools.    

* Balay participated in the Mindanao Week of Peace celebration in Mindanao. In Manila, it was a co-organizer of parallel activities in cooperation  with members of Congress and civil society partners.

* In its broader advocacy for peace, Balay has joined peace missions which documented skirmishes and incidents that may lead to violation of the truce between government and rebels. It contributed in making report to the ceasefire monitoring committees and to the International  Monitoring Teams (IMT). These actions with other peace groups helped prevent the breakout of wide scale hostilities.

* In April 2005, Balay hosted a delegation of people in Manila from the conflict-affected province of Sulu , southern Philippines. The delegation talked with government leaders, military officials, lawmakers, and peace negotiators to call for the political solution of the fighting in Sulu and the observance of the1996 Peace accord between the government and the MNLF.

ADVICE: What advice would you like to give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade?

The resolution of the conflict in Iraq, and the UN action on the continued presence of foreign forces in the region may be a significant step that would raise hopes in favor of  diplomatic interventions over the use of force to settle disputes.

Multi-lateral summits or world forum that invite civil society participation may promote the path of dialog and consensus building, or at least create an arena to surface alternative non-violent actions to promote world peace, human rights, development, and democratization.  

Enhanced cooperation between UN agencies and civil society organizations to promote human rights (e.g. the visit of the UN Rapporteur   on IDPs to the Philippines had resulted in closer cooperation for  protection of civilians caught in armed conflict)

UN support for peace process, such as in the Philippines; and support for local initiatives for education and advocacy for a culture of peace.

PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the global movement for a culture of peace?

Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict  (GPPAC) - Balay is a co-convenor of the Philippine GPPAC initiative. It seeks to create a forum for civil society to contribute in drafting an international platform to promote world peace. GPPAC-Philippines hosted the Asian regional forum on peace in first quarter of 2005.

Regional Psychosocial Network (supported by UNICEF Regional East Asia Program)

Balay is part of the Asian Network  Against Small Arms, through the PhilANSA group in the Philippines. This formation seeks to create awareness against the ill-use of arms and campaigns for non-violent actions to settle conflicts. It also promote peace education.

In the Philippines, Balaty is also a member of the following:

Peace Educators Netwrok (PEN) - a network of educators that promoted peace education in  formal settings (schools) and non-formal settings (communities). It also campaigns for the recognition of  schools as "zones of peace."

Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus (MPC) - this is an organization  of community-based  peace advocates; promoters of inter-faith and inter-cultural dialog, as well as humanitarian service organizations that work among displaced peoples in areas affected by armed conflict in Mindanao.

Mindanao Peaceweavers - a coalition of seven peace networks in Manila and Mindanao, this group is perhaps the biggest coalition of peace movements in the Philippines today. It dialogs with the MILF and the government and sits as observer in the peace process. It holds peace missions in conflict areas and make recommendations to parties in conflict to reduce violence and to advance peace process.

Sulong CAHRIHL - a civil society initiative to monitor the peace process between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF); it also seeks to promote observance of human rights and international humanitarian law among civilians caught in conflict and the actors in conflict.

PLANS: What new engagements are planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)?

-  Establish a training institute for young people
-  Expand the Space for Peace areas, and the schools that
  join the Children  as Zones of  Peace Project
-  Campaign for the government’s policy to adopt a peace-
  building curriculum in all schools
-  Support the peace process
-  Widening of peace constituency among the youth sector
  both in Manila and in Mindanao; linking rural and urban  
  youth for peace and development advocacy

Postal address of organization

Balay Rehabilitation Center
No. 25 Maalindog Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City,
Philippines 1101

E-mail address of organization

balayadvocacy@tri-sys.com
balay@tri-isys.com

Website address of organization

www.balayph.org

Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace

Human rights and peace advocacy - Supporting the peace process through involvement in ceasefire monitoring, community peace dialog, rehabilitation. Enactment of the IDP Protection Act in the Philippines and the promotion of the UN Guiding Principle on Internal Displacement; trainings on basic human rights principles; HR documentation; information dissemination

Second priority action domain of a culture of peace

Education for a culture of peace (COP) - Promoting a peace-centered education in formal education in cooperation with the Department of Education (CZoP); crafting  a COP module for young people and organizing peace camps, and school twinning projects
Understanding, tolerance, solidarity  - Community dialogs; community inter-cultural integration

Highest priority country of action (or international)

Balay’s action is a combination of community-based programs in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, policy reform actions in the national level such as participating in the peace talks process and advocating for the a human rights policy for displaced  peoples.

Second priority country of action (or international)

In the international level, it works with the UN Rapporteur on IDPs and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) for the promotion of IDP rights.
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IP: [ 152.163.100.10 ]
Organization: BALAY REHABILITATION CENTER (PHILIPPINES)

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