Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Zamboanga City (Agenzia Fides) – The Maguindano massacre has highlighted very clearly that on the island of Mindanao, the priority is "to build a culture of peace, in contrast with the culture of violence" as was stated in a note sent to Fides by Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Southern Philippines, creator of the "Silsilah" movement for dialogue in Zamboanga City, on Mindanao Island.
A little over a month after the Maguindanao massacre, in which 57 people lost their lives, Fr. D'Ambra says: "On November 23, 2009 will remain a dark day in the history of Mindanao. For those who, like us at Silsilah, are committed to promoting peace, dialogue, and reconciliation, a question arises with greater strength: why does hate seem to prevail over love? And again, how was it possible to reach the point of this level of atrocity?"
The missionary provides these answers: "What happens is that there are leaders who are responsible in building a culture of violence, as it serves their own interests. It is the thirst for power and wealth that leads men to this point. Those responsible for the massacre should be held accountable for the evil they have done before men and before God."
Precisely in this context, note Fr. D'Ambra, "we need to commit ourselves even more deeply to building a culture of peace and reconciliation. We appeal to all those who already work in the field of dialogue: do not be discouraged... we must move forward in our mission, which today is all the more important. We especially encourage the youth to put God at the center of their lives and work for the common good of our country. We tell young people: do not be led by the desire to take revenge and do not get dragged into the vicious circle of violence: peace is possible and is built with love."
The missionary concludes: "It is not too late, but we must begin with our personal commitment to build bridges of dialogue and peace. In the past, Mindanao was called 'the promised land'. These events have scarred this title, but we hope and pray that this definition can truly come about in a new era of dialogue and peace." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/01/2009)
