Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Fides Service) - “The only way to heal the trauma, the wounds of war victims is to promote reconciliation through forgiveness”: this affirmation was made by the Bishops-Ulema Conference, (BUC), formed in 1996 by local Christian and Muslim religious leaders in southern Philippines to promote reconciliation and social harmony.
“Cease fire agreements and development projects cannot heal the wounds inflicted by war”, said Archbishop Fernando Capalla, co-executor of BUC and President of the Philippines Catholic Bishops’ Conference when he addressed the 23rd BUC general meeting.
Protestant Bishop Ilario Gomez said “peace will never be more than a dream unless we have development projects which touch the life of the people. BUC and the central Philippines government are working to make peace a reality in Mindanao”.
Mahmod Adialo, Ulema of the Southern Philippines League, said that Muslim leaders are committed to working with Christians to restore peace in the southern Philippines: “Religious leaders must be united in pursuing peace so that ordinary people may follow their example”.
Archbishop Capalla said that BUC has gradually become an independent body which can contribute to negotiations between government and rebels, to make a lasting peace between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. “Authentic peace requires constant and on-going cooperation of Bishops and Ulema”, the Archbishop said. “The cease fire signed in July 2003 is not enough to heal the negative experience of war victims”.
Archbishop Capalla said that BUC, which operates and the cultural and religious level, has been recognised by the government as one of the principle bodies which can help restore peace in Mindanao, together with the Kusog Mindanaw (Mindanao Force) network of associations engaged in the social, economic and humanitarian fields.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/3/2004 lines 36 word 347)
