Interfaith Dialogue 4 Peace... tama ba?

MANILA, Philippines — Youth group Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) on Friday urged fellow youth to "engage in interfaith dialogues with Christians and Muslims" to understand and help find a solution to the conflict in Mindanao.

"Conducting interfaith dialogues is one of the ways where we may be able to discuss and deeply understand the roots of this conflict, as well as present long-lasting solutions to it," SCMP Chairperson Biyaya Quizon said in a press statement.

On Wednesday, members of SCMP, the UP Student Catholic Action, St. Andrew's Theological Seminary in Quezon City, and the UP Muslim Students Association shared their stories and how they see themselves amid the escalating war in Mindanao.

After an interfaith prayer, both prayed by a Christian and a Muslim, a member of the UP MSA shared her personal experiences on how she experienced discrimination because of her being a Muslim. She cited how one of her classmates spoke of Muslims as "dirty, warmongers" without even having enough knowledge of the Islamic religion.

A seminarian of St. Andrew's Theological Seminary, mostly members of the indigenous peoples in the Cordillera, lamented how Igorots are called "monkeys living on trees" and called "uneducated." She added that the struggle of the Bangsamoro for their homeland is no different from their struggle to claim the lands of their forefathers, which are always under the threat of mining explorations.

Members of the UPSCA likewise said that as members of the dominant religion in the country, they know that Islam also believes in a single God who only permits "justice and peace."

Quizon said the group is inviting more and more organizations to join in these kinds of dialogues especially at a time when "there is so much anti-Muslim prejudice with little understanding of the roots of this conflict."

"Now is the time to further understand why there is conflict in Mindanao and its roots. The continuous violation of the rights of the Bangsamoro to their homeland and human rights which include sufficient food, education and other services are only the tip of the iceberg," he said.

He also said they are for the resumption of the peace negotiations, saying that the recent actions of the Arroyo government will only escalate the ongoing hostilities in the south.

"There is no room for militaristic actions especially when almost half a million Filipinos, Christians and Muslims alike, have fled their homes and are now suffering in evacuation centers because of lack of food and shelter," she said.

According to the recently released report of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, more than 500,000 individuals have been internally displaced, equivalent to more than 100,000 families.

Ma. Cristina Guevarra, SCMP’s secretary-general and information officer, said the group is planning to hold protest actions next week to dramatize their objection to an all-out war in Mindanao and to work for "peace based on justice in Mindanao." - GMANews.TV