2013sep09 MPW Zbo Statement

8/13/2019 2013sep09 MPW Zbo Statement

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Sent from my iPad

On Sep 22, 2013, at 9:37 PM, Helen Mendoza wrote:

I think I already sign your statement as this request was sent a few times. Look

over your list and look for my name. If my name is not in your list, then you maysign ion my name.

Thanks,

Helen N. Mendoza

From:Billah Islam

To:[email protected];IID - Manila

Sent:Sunday, September 22, 2013 10:49 AMSubject:Re: [stopthewar.philippines] URGENT SIGN-ON CALLING FOR HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE IN

ZAMBOANGA CITY

Please include BILLAH ISLAM COMMUNITY ORGANIZING FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT, INC.

Thank you very much!

MIKHAIL ABDUL AZIZ P. ABRERA

Director - Policy, Research & Advocacy Program

On Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 9:17 AM, IID - Manila wrote:

Dear friends, we would like to request for your support to the statement (below) calling for

the immediate ceasefire and dialogue in Zamboanga City, Philippines. Please sign up and help

circulate. Thank you very much!

Mindanao PeaceWeavers (MPW)- Secretariat c/o Initiatives for Int'l Dialogue

(IID) (+63)09177247579 ; Email:[email protected];

Gus Miclat (+63) 09177013099 ; Fr.Angel Calvo (+63)09177102926 ;

Dr. Grace Rebollos (+63)09177102558

==================================================

DECLARE A HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE IN ZAMBOANGA CITY, NOW!

A Petition Campaign in Support of Dialogue,

Humanitarian Action and Ceasefire

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED PEACE ADVOCATES, CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS,

FERVENTLY APPEAL IN CALLING FOR A DIALOGUE and AN IMMEDIATE DECLARATION OF A

HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE in the conflict-affected barangays in Zamboanga City to address the current

standoff that started on September 9, 2013.

Specifically, we urge H.E. Benigno Simeon Aquino III, MNLF Chair Prof. Nur Misuari, Mayor Isabelle

Climaco, Sec. Teresita Deles, and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to heed the following

calls:

1. We call for an immediate stop to the firefight and a prompt and orderly redeployment of force boththe MNLF and the AFP to address the alarming evacuee situation;

2. We call on both parties to immediately delineate a humanitarian corridorwhere civilians and

injured combatants can be safely assisted with their humanitarian needs;

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3. Generate public support towards broad humanitarian action by allowing full access and the entry of

humanitarian groups to complement existing efforts of the local government, DSWD, and civil society

in Zamboanga City;

4. We call on both parties to seek dialogue and allow for sufficient space for peaceful negotiations to

take place;

5. We strongly recommend that those who are responsible for the deaths, destruction of properties

and other human rights violations be held fully accountable;

6. We appeal to the Philippine Government to clarify its policy and popularize further any

developments with regards to the fate of the MNLF peace process;

7. We call on the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to help in resolving this issue, sustaining

the role they have long-fulfilled in ensuring the hopes for peace in Mindanao.

8. Lastly, we call on all our peoples, civil society including the media to remain calm, objective and

reasonable while we continue to serve and offer our knowledge in preventing the escalation of this

conflict as we guard the gains of the overall peace process in Mindanao.

We hope and pray that this matter is resolved quickly, justly and peaceably, and that equanimity

prevails in the restoration of peace and order in Zamboanga City and its surrounds.

Declare a Zamboanga City-wide ceasefire now! Spare the civilians from armed hostilities! No to

armed action and militarization in Zamboanga City!

INITIAL SIGNATORIES :

NATIONAL:

1. MINDANAO PEACEWEAVERS (MPW)2. Agri-Aqua Development Coalition (AADC)3. Akbayan Partylist4. Aksyon para sa Kapayapaan at Katarungan (AKKAPKA)5. Alliance of Progressive Labor - Davao Region6. Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM)7. Ateneo School of Government -Ateneo de Manila University8. Balay Rehabilitation Center9. Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)10.Center for Agrarian Reform, Empowerment and Transformation, Inc (CARET)11.Center for Peace -Miriam College12.Civil Society Organization in Lanao del Norte -Partnership for Peace and Development

CO Multiversity13.Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS)14.Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC)15.GZO Peace Institute16.Kabataan Consortium, Inc.17.Kahugpungan-Mindanaw (KAMI)18.Kalimudan Foundation, Inc. -Marawi City19.Kameritanan ne Erumanen Menuvu (KEM)20.Labor Education and Research Network (LEARN)21.Lumad Mindanaw Peoples Federation22.Luna Legal Resource Center, Inc.23.Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies Southern Phils Educational Cooperative

Center (MASS-SPECC)24.Makabayan Pilipinas -Mindanao25.Mediators Network for Sustainable Peace (MedNet), Inc.

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26.Medical Action Group (MAG)27.Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies Southern Phils. Educational Cooperative Center

( MASS SPECC)28.Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE)29.Mindanao Congress of NGOs and NGIs (MINCON)30.Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Women Development, Inc (MIPWED)31.Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC)32.Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement (MPPM)33.Mindanao Solidarity Network (MSN)Pakigdait, Inc34.Pambansang Kilusang Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA -MINDANAO)35.PANDAYAN36.Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM)37.Partido Lakas Masa (PLM- Mindanao)38.Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)

Pax Christi InstitutePeacebuilders CommunityPhilDHRRA-Mindanao

Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA)Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI)Philippine Rural and Reconstruction Movement (PRRM)PhilSSA-MindanaoSARILAYASENTROSIMCARRD INC

SUCCEED, INCSulong CARHRIHLTambayan Center - MindanaoTask Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)Timuay Justice and Governance

Waging Peace-Philippines

GLOBAL /REGIONAL:

Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC-SEA)Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC-NEA)

Acehnese Civil Society Task Force (ACSTF-Aceh)ALTSEAN - BurmaCampaign Committee for Human Rights (CCHR-Thailand)

Child Rights Coalition Asia SecretariatCoalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW-AP)Focus on the Global South (Manila, Bangkok and Delhi)

Global Network -AsiaHuman Rights Working Group (Indonesia)Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC-Nepal)Karen Women Empowerment Group (KWEG -Myanmar/Burma)KKSP Foundation, Educatn & Info Center for Child Rights (Indonesia)National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE-Malaysia)Network for Transformative Social Protection (NTSP-Asia)

Nabodhara (Bangladesh)NGO Gender Group (NGO GG - Myanmar/Burma)Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI)Peace and Human Rights Resource Center (Thailand)

Peace Boat

Peacebuilding Institute (Jakarta)Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan

People's Empowerment Foundation(PEF-Thailand)Shwe Gas Movement (SGM-Myanmar/Burma)Thai Volunteer Service Foundation (Thailand)The Life Skills Development Foundation (Thailand)


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Women's Initiatives Network for Peace (WIN PEACE - Myanmar/Burma)

Women Making Peace ( South Korea)

Women's Organizations Network (WON - Myanmar/Burma)World Social Forum (WSF)World without WARs and without Violence

StatementZamboanga Stand-offSeptember 9, 2013

CALL FOR SOBRIETY, DIALOGUE, NOT ARMED ACTION

We, the undersigned civil society groups, express our deepest expressions of concern, prayers and

support for the innocent civilians caught in the ongoing crossfire between elements associated with

the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and government security forces in Zamboanga City that

unfolded before us this Monday, September 9. We also likewise extend our deep condolences to the

families of the armed actors themselves - the police, military authorities, and MNLF fighters felledduring the incident.

WE HOPE AND PRAY that this matter is resolved quickly, justly and peaceably, and that equanimity

prevails in the restoration of peace and order in Zamboanga City and its surrounds. We express

concern and pity for the growing thousands of displaced evacuees now streaming into safe havens in

Zamboanga, wherever they can find them. We call on all concerned to avoid knee-jerk reactions that

only feed into the distrust and discord we all want to avoid. We encourage all involved to explore

dialogue in resolving whatever differences and grievances they may bear.

WE ARE SADDENED that such a provocative event happened on the eve of the slated and historic 10-

day talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front

(MILF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This will be the longest ever continuous meeting in the history ofthese talks and deserves our utmost support. Nevertheless we also expect that there will always be

those displeased with the promising progress of these talks who will try to stop or derail such gains for

their own aims and ends. We challenge all stakeholders not to be drawn into such diversions. Instead,

let us learn from such events and stay our course of peace, strong and resolute in our shared vision of a

more united and progressing Bangsamoro benefiting all.

WE APPEAL to all involved in making peace work in our beleaguered region to patiently and

consistently find ways in establishing structured opportunities towards meaningful inclusion of other

stakeholders in the peace process. The ongoing standoff in Zamboanga City between the MNLF and

the government forces may indicate imperfections in the peace process, but there are legitimateissues that need to be addressed with a sense of just finality in the seemingly complicated peace

process of the MNLF with the government. But we still denounce the very act of resorting to an armedaction just to send its message across at the risk of lives, limbs, and security of innocent citizens.

WE REMAIN ENCOURAGED that despite this event, both the GPH and the MILF have expressed trust,

confidence and support heading into the 40thround of these exploratory talks. This is the spirit that

we believe should be engendered not only in the nascent Bangsamoro but through-out the country as

well. Let us continue to support dialogue as a primary tool for peace building. Let us not allow the

guns to drown out the voices we need to hear, the ones who call for peace. These are the voices that

truly speak for us, driving our singular struggle, quest and vision for true and lasting peace in

Mindanao.

####--

IID is an advocacy and solidarity institution promoting peace, conflict prevention, democratization and right to self-

determination in Southeast Asia. Our focus areas include Mindanao, Burma, Timor-Leste, South Thailand, Aceh and West

Papua.

Documents

2013sep09 MPW Zbo Statement