Posted: April 30 2005,19:41 |
If you wrote this report, you will find a button here that you may click in order to make changes in the report.
|
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.
|
Back to top |
|