[From the web] Caraga region calls for peace constituency building through a two-day fora – opapp.gov.ph

Source: http://opapp.gov.ph Butuan City, May 26 – The call for a just and lasting peace deeply resonates in the Caraga Region (Region XIII) of Mindanao as various sectors articulated their grievances and demands at the recently concluded Peace Roadshow held from May 23 to 24 in key areas of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur…

Human Rights Online Philippines

May 26, 2011

3–4 minutes

Activism and Peace Work, Benigno Aquino III, Fr. Saturnino Urios University, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Northern Ireland peace process, Peace, Peace & human rights, Philippine, Warfare and Conflict

Source: http://opapp.gov.ph

Butuan City, May 26 – The call for a just and lasting peace deeply resonates in the Caraga Region (Region XIII) of Mindanao as various sectors articulated their grievances and demands at the recently concluded Peace Roadshow held from May 23 to 24 in key areas of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.

In the two-day fora that was held at the Fr. Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) in this city, participants heard updates from government peace panel member Jurgette Honculada on the ongoing peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP).

A Butuanon herself, Honculada called on all Filipinos to be updated on the peace negotiations between GPH and CPP-NPA-NDFP and raise their stakes for peace. She also spoke on issues confronting Caraga communities such as problems related to mining, illegal logging and delivery of basic services in far-flung areas, all of which are also being tackled in the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-economic Reforms (CASER), which is the meat of the ongoing peace negotiations between the GPH and NDFP.

“The present administration, led by President Benigno Aquino III, is serious in forging a final negotiated political settlement with the NDFP. We must revive the peace process on the basis of a comprehensive understanding of the root causes of the conflict,” Honculada stressed. “We’re not playing games; we have a genuine desire to attain a just and lasting peace. The goal of the panel is to negotiate a settlement within three years so that we’ll still have time for implementation since every administration only has six years.”

With the concrete goal of reaching a final peace agreement to set the ball rolling for reforms to be fully carried out, the participation of different communities nationwide will prove to be critical.

“Currently, there is very little public interest in peace-building measures,” People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPVR)-Caraga Chair Concepcion “Chit” Asis said. “We need to bring the issue to the people. That’s why we at PPVR launched our support alongside the resumption of peace talks which had been at an impasse for seven years.”

Also present at the fora were FSUU Policy Center Executive Director Atty. Josefe Sorera-Ty, who served as master of ceremonies and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Social Mobilization Unit Dir. Enrico dela Torre who gave the participants an overview of the government’s efforts on peace and development.

The various fora provided members of the Caraga community a deeper understanding of the ongoing conflict besetting the region. Participants raised immediate concerns affecting their day-to-day lives.

With an administration that’s all out for peace, it was concluded by the organizers and participants that the best time to affirm the peace talks and the best time to engage in forging the peace is now.

“We’ve already invested decades of our lives for peace. Now, there’s still a long task ahead of us,” Honculada added. “If we don’t actively work for peace now, we will let the culture of violence prevail. It’s about time we consolidate our efforts and reach as many people as we can.”

Supported by OPAPP, the roadshow was co-sponsored by the People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPVR) and FSUU Policy Center. #