Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cagayan de Oro (Fides Service) - Peace is what the large Island of Mindanao in the Philippines needs more than anything else today. Peace means economic development, social stability, a return of tourists, in a word, the future for the southern islands of the archipelago. The people of Mindanao are mainly Muslims, a small minority in the largest country in Asia where Christianity is the religion of the majority of the people. The island is the scene of unrest and violence with various separatist Islamic groups seeking independence. Government and rebels started negotiations but the talks stalled about 12 months ago. Now that Gloria Arroyo has been confirmed in the presidency with her popular election this year there are new hopes that talks will resume.
Yesterday, 6 September, young people from all over the island Mindanao, members of social and political movements, university students and school pupils met in Cagayan de Oro to voice support and call for a re-launching of the Mindanao Youth for Peace Advocacy Program, started by the government in 1996 and financed by the national youth commission. Together Christian and Muslim youths voiced the same instances, aspirations and hopes.
The young people agreed on the necessity to build social unity and harmony among the different ethnic-religious groups in Mindanao: Muslims, Christians and animist native peoples known as Lumads.
One in mind, the young people called for the institution of a Commission Peace and Development in Mindanao, formed of Muslims and Christians, young people, leaders of social and civil movements.
They accused the central government for its discontinuity in dealing with the situation on the island of Mindanao in particular the problem of guerrilla warfare. In fact talks and attempts at reconciliation have alternated with years of total war for example under the presidency of Joseph Estrada.
The young people of Mindanao expect the government of Manila to put greater effort into reaching peace which is a condition for giving new economic, social and cultural impulse to the Island. They also said that the problem and the history of Mindanao should be included in history in school programmes throughout the archipelago.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 6/9/2004 lines 31 words 344)
