Source: Moro Times

After round table meetings in Manila, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, efforts to build closer cooperation between and among Muslim leaders and Muslim communities of Asean came full circle.

The Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy [PCID] played host to the First Southeast Asian Forum on Islam and Democracy (SEAFID) held at the Manila Hotel on December 10 to 12, 2007. The delegation of 44 experts and leaders representing various think tanks, universities, religious, and civil society groups came from of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

The 2007 Manila conference gathered Muslim advocates of democracy, human rights, and peace in what could be the first platform that could represent the multifaceted voices of the Muslims in Southeast Asia—the region that is home to the largest Muslim community in the world with more than 200 million adherents of Islam.

Welcome Banquet

Gracing the forum’s welcome dinner was former President Fidel V. Ramos. In his keynote speech, Ramos congratulated the participants for the regional forum which he felt was a vital step toward addressing concerns on issues such as security, human rights and democracy in the Southeast Asian region. According to Ramos, regional efforts such as SEAFID are necessary to stress the fact that “Southeast Asia is not a hotbed of terrorism nor is the region teetering on the brink of anarchy and sectarian violence as is sometimes suggested.” He adds that political will, democratization, and regional strategies would be the most effective strategies in addressing the problems in the region. Ramos noted that the rich experiences of South East Asian Muslim communities in democracy should be shared with the Islamic world.

Organized by the PCID with support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Australian Embassy, The Asia Foundation, and the Magbassa Kita Foundation, Inc., the forum is actually the fifth in a series that has been organized for the region, according to the PCID’s lead convenor and chair of the Manila conference, Amina Rasul. “The first roundtable discussion was held in September 2005 in the Philippines, and then subsequently held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Jakarta, Indonesia; and finally in Bangkok, Thailand in September of 2006. We hope this will evolve into an effective forum that contributes to democratization in Muslim coimmunities.”

Regional platform for cooperation

“This is a strong commitment of Southeast Asian Muslims to enhance democracy, pluralism, human rights and justice” says Dr. Syafi’i Anwar from the Jakarta-based International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP). Haji Maarof Bin Haji Salleh from Singapore’s Center for Contemporary Islamic Studies expressed their happiness to participate as it gave them “an opportunity to share success stories of how the minority Muslim community in Singapore has contributed to nation-building in the context of their multiracial and multireligious society.”

According to Dr. Abdul Rahman Bin Awang of the International Islamic University of Malaysia, the forum is “an excellent platform for the Muslims in the region to exchange views and share experiences on Islam and Democracy,” with Dr. Sukree Langputeh of the Thailand Center for Muslim and Democratic Development states that this exchange of experiences and success stories is an important part in spurring the democratization process in each country in Southeast Asia.

Islam, democracy and peace

“Islam is often associated today with terrorism or violence. This is not a true reflection of Islamic values. Muslims, particularly Muslims in Southeast Asia, firmly believe in human rights, tolerance, and equality, as do the majority of Muslims in the world. We want a mechanism by which we can systematically engage and educate the world to the true tenets of the Islamic faith,” said former Senator Santanina Rasul, one of the co-organizers of the event.

In an unprecedented move, after only two days of discussions, the participants approved a draft charter. A work in progress, the draft charter would guide the process of institutionalizing the forum as a platform from which Muslims in the region would promote, among others, peace, tolerance, mutual understanding, economic opportunity, good governance, sustainable development, human security and human rights.

Rasul, praised the efforts of the participants in not allowing their political, historical and social diversities to get in the way of organizing the historic forum. She described the forging of the charter, despite debates and contestations, as proof of the possibility of democracy in Muslim communities.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Manalo, who delivered the closing speech on December 12, congratulated the group for their landmark act, highlighting the need for interfaith initiatives and strengthening pluralism in the region. Manalo stressed the need for collaboration bridge the gulf of misunderstanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. The Philippines is a leader in UN led global inter­faith dialogues.

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P R E S S   R E L E A S E

Contact: Anisa Undac
Tel.:    (064) 421-5420

MARAWI CITY— It was early as 6:00 a.m. and some 20,000 people from all walks of life started to troop from the different towns of Lanao del Sur to Tomas Cabili Plaza in Barangay Banggolo, here. A number of them were transported by vehicles of different sizes; some crossed the Lanao Lake onboard water vessels; the rest were on foot. At 8:00 a.m. the city turned red with red streamers, placards, t-shirts and flaglets. Written on them was “Allahu Akbar!”, Arabic term for “God is Great.”

It was Jan. 9, 2008, and the people in Lanao del Sur were having a march-rally. It was the second leg of the series of Mindanao-wide peace rally led by the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), a network of 164 civil society organizations (CSOs) in Mindanao. The organizer of the rally in the region is the Ranaw Regional Management Committee of CBCS, led by Amenodin Cali.

“The failure of peace agreements in the past can be attributed mainly to the non-participation of the Bangsamoro people, because non-participation means they do not own a peace agreement,” said Abdullah Dalidig of the Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good Governance (IMERGG) and Muslim Multi-sectoral Movement for Peace and Development (MMMPD). “As real stakeholders, their collective voice should be basis of authority and the last word in the solution of the problem.”

“The consequences of war in Mindanao have been very painful and costly. More than 150,000 people died and 100,000 were estimated to be injured. Millions were displaced from their homes and several hundred thousands, including more than 200,000 Bangsamoro who sought refuge in the Malaysian State of Sabah have not returned home,” Dalidig added.

Anwar Saluwang, deputy secretary-general of United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD), an organization of Muslim youths based in Cotabato City called for the immediate return to the negotiating table of both the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels.

“We the Bangsamoro in Central Mindanao feel exactly what is felt by people in Ranaw. The Government should not wait for the Bangsamoro to become Bangsamoro Armed Forces,” he cited. Saluwang was there with the Marawi-based members of UNYPAD.

The first leg of the peace rally was held in Cotabato City and participated by more than 30,000 sectoral representatives. Still, the call is addressed to both the Government and the MILF to immediately resolve the present gaps in the peace talks.

“The Bangsamoro does not belong to the MILF or the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) but the MILF and the MNLF belong to the Bangsamoro,” said Sammy Maulana, secretary-general of CBCS, as he called for the dismissal of early misconceptions that the rally was “pro-MILF” and anti-government.

A number of questions have been raised by the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that participated in the second leg of the rally regarding the present status of the peace talks, as written in their united statements.

“Is it due to the lack of sincerity of both parties? Or shall be blame the MNLF, MILF and ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) who seem disunited? Or is it due to inadequate international involvement of the paid spoilers (alleged terrorists)? Or is the review of the GRP-MNLF-FPA, an obstacle to the GRP-MILF Peace process? Can there be a creative and yet acceptable process without violating the Philippine Constitution? What will happen in the event of the collapse of the MILF-GRP Peace Talks?”

“There is no doubt that the failure of peace agreement will lead to violence, chaos and war. But the people are tired of war. It is anti-people and violates the very core values of all religions and civil society: love, peace, nonviolence,” the CSOs stated.
 

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