Muni-muni ng Isang Gala

Dear Friends, The Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement (MPPM) Zamboanga Peninsula Cluster is currently organizing a delegation that will do a prayer vigil in solidarity to the Subanen of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur. This Subanen community is threatened with the entry of MMEC mining firm formerly the Geotechniques and Mining Inc (GAMI). Should any friends and allies want to join the group, you may contact Ms. Tanie Suano at 09196919686. On another front, MPPM will also join in the peace mission that will start tomorrow in Carmen and Kabacan,North Cotabato on the recent clashes between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). For those interested to join, you may contact Mr. Romy Saliga of the Lumad Development Center at this number: 09195089759. Alternatively, you may also contact the Secretariat of MPPM at this number: 064-4211358 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting           ...

The Bal'ian leading the agong players and the delegates for the closing ritual. Six (6) T’duray women, one of the more than twenty groups of Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao, with their colorful traditional dress shook my hand vigorously and a couple embraced me tightly as they arrived at the Upi Agricultural School, the venue of the 6 th Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Summit. Tired from the long habal-habal (motorcycle vehicles) travel and some trekking from the interior communities of South Upi, these women were still all smiles as they proudly showed off their agong (an indigenous musical instrument) to me. They were part of the one hundred twenty-five (125) women delegates out of the three hundred ninety-three (393) total participants to the sixth Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Summit last December 12-16,2010 in Upi,Maguindanao, Mindanao,Philippines. They were the agong players that accompany the Bal’ian (spiritual leader) in the opening and closing rituals. Now on its 10 th year,...

The Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement (MPPM) considers the struggle of the Bangsamoro and the Katawhang Lumad (Indigenous Peoples) one of its primary concerns. This is evident in the many venues it provided for the sharing, discussions, fora and summits on the understanding of the right to self-determination of peoples. Exposure programs and exchanges in the tri-people communities were also a constant event to foster further this understanding. Ever since its inception in 2000, MPPM has been consistent in its support of the peoples struggle for their Right to Self-Determination. This manifests in its long running advocacy on the Referendum on the Political Options for Peace in Mindanao. For the tri-people peace movement, the advocacy on the REFERENDUM is its humble contribution in resolving the seeming never-ending conflict in Mindanao in a peaceful and democratic manner. While this mechanism may not yet be too popular in the Philippine context, however, other countries with multi-nati...

The November 23 Maguindanao massacre have shaken many of us. I was in a place with the only access to the outside world is through a 2-channel television when the news of the carnage broke out. Thus, the magnitude of the incident only sinks in the next day when I read it on the papers. A colleague had to make a trip to the City to buy the papers. Scanning the news, a victim’s name from the media caught my attention. A chill ran through me, it was one of our Council of Peoples’ Representatives from the Bagobo tribe, Mr. Napoleon Salaysay, from a local community paper in Cotabato City. I did not have the chance to get to know him fully, but I feel a deep sadness, not only for him but also for the rest of the massacre victims and their grieving families. Like other ordinary citizen, I also felt outraged with the callousness and impunity shown by the perpetrators. When the call from Atty. Harry Roque of CenterLaw Philippines came that his organization is planning to bring in forensic ...

Ika-23 ng Nobyembre. Ito’y araw na nakaukit sa ating madilim na kasaysayan sa isang bansang tinaguriang isang demokrasya.  Ang petsang ito ay nakabaon sa kamalayan hindi lamang ng mga pamilya ng biktima ng karumal dumal na krimen ng binansagang “Ampatuan Masscare” kundi pati na rin ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan na naghahangad ng katarungan.  Isang taon ng pagdadalamhati at pagluluksa. Isang taon na pakikibaka upang makamit ang minimithing hustisya, subalit bakit sadyang napakailap nito? Limampo’t walo (58) ang naging biktima ng masaker na ito, mga manunulat, peryodista, brodkaster, abugado, asawa,kapatid, ina at ama. Sila ay walang awang pinaslang ng mga taong halang ang kaluluwa. Isa dito ay hanggang ngayon ang katawan ay hindi pa rin natagpuan. Ang mga primerong akusado sa nasabing krimen ay kasalukuyan nasa piitan at kinakaharap ang iilang bilang ng kasong pagpatay. Sabi nga ng iba ito’y isang kapanalunan na sapagkat hindi na rin mabilang ang kasaong pagpatay s...