Inter-cultural dialogue provides venue for understanding

Ernesto C. Casiple, Jr. /March 15, 2008

Kiamba---Aimed at providing venue for better understanding among Lumads, Muslims, and Christians in the community, an Inter-cultural Dialogue for Peace dubbed as Kadsisinabute (a Maguindanaoan term for understanding) was held on March 15, 2008 at Brgy. Datu Dani in Kiamba, Sarangani Province.

The activity allowed the members of the community to share their local ethnohistory and identify their needs that are hoped to be addressed by the government personalities present.
“It was a way of in seeing tri-people’s patriotism and activism channeled to more positive involvement in the community development, local and national undertakings and thereby helped transform their dreams and aspirations into reality through proper motivation and dialogues,” according to George P. Young, Peace Program Officer of the Provincial Government of Sarangani.

In an opening message given by Punong Barangany Monir Wata of Datu Dani, he said that the Barangay is very glad that the Peace Network granted their idea of holding a peace dialogue.
The Peace Network led the activity through the initiative of Kalinaw Sarangani Unit and Kapayapaan Kapatid Council. The network is composed of organizations working for peace and development in the SOCSKSARGEN. According to Wata, the activity is a real venue to where people in the community could participate deliberately in local governance, thus, promoting

culture of peace.

On the other hand, Fr. Angel Buenavides (convenor of the Peace Network) said that efforts of dialogue are better done in collective efforts of various networks working for peace and development. He added that it is good to see that various organizations in the promotion of peace and development are converging efforts to help local initiatives for peace realized.

During the activity, representatives of the tri-people presented their ethnohistory and the issues and concerns they have in the community. They expressed their gratitude to the members of the Peace Network for conducting the activity.

Tony Adon (an elder B’laan leader) said that their aspiration is for equal treatment of the people

in the community. He admitted though that his people lack education or illiterate. He asked the government to address this problem.

On the other hand, Datu Alano Gibbon (a local Muslim leader) differentiated Moro from Muslim. He emphasized that a Muslim is God-fearing person and thus anybody caught killing is not a Muslim. He warned everyone not to misquote lawless individuals as Muslim rather call them according to their tribes. According to him, Moro is the general term for the 13 “Muslim” tribes in Mindanao. He added that when he came in Datu Dani, people are afraid of them. They are seen as criminals and creators of violent conflict in the place. Though, he admitted that many of the members of his tribe became rebels, he asked people not to generalize because it made them less human.

Lastly, a settler Danilo Panilo shared that we he arrived in 1970’s he felt that he is out of place. Until now, he has some thoughts of being out casted because it seems that the Christian settlers are not yet welcome in the community. He hoped that he will not feel it anymore.

On the other hand, representatives LGUS and organizations under the Peace Network updated the community of their local intervention in Kiamba.
Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon of Sarangani Province also graced the affair. He said that the activity was a direct way of empowering the people by listening to their aims and aspirations.
Mayor Rommel Falgui of Kiamba on the other hand was optimistic that his programs and projects are anchored through community participation.

SPO3 Rolando Aguelo who represented the PNP said their basic role in peacekeeping is to stop criminality. He asked the residents in the Barangay to report any criminality in the area.

In behalf of the Peace Network, Fr. Angel Buenavides said that the network is committed to address local efforts for peace and development through collaboration with other partners.
Butch Batilong, the project coordinator of Habitat for Humanity announced their peace intervention in Datu Dani through building homes in the area called Peace Build.

A statement of commitment to lasting peace was signed by the members of the tri-people representatives and Barangay Local Government Unit. Vice Governor Solon, Fr. Buenavides, SPO3 Aguelo, Mr. Young also signed as witnesses of the commitment.

Equally important events during the Kadsisinabute are the “Kids Art Workshop for Peace” and the Medical and Dental Mission. Fifty kids from the Barangay benefited from the art workshop facilitated by renowned visual artist Prof. Al-Nezzar Ali.

More than 200 patients (mostly children) were catered in the medical mission and 90 patients were given tooth extraction. The medical service was sponsored by Doctor’s Hospital, ACT for Peace Programme and student volunteers from Golden State Colleges while the dental mission was sponsored by the Municipal Government of Kiamba through its Municipal Health Office.