Last August 3-4, 2018, civil society leaders gathered in Davao City for an "emergency" meeting dubbed "CIVIL SOCIETY SYNERGY MEETING". This was basically an all-Civil Society Leaders assembly of healers, defenders, advocates who are involved in humanitarian work, civilian protection, peace advocacy, human rights monitoring, peacebuilding, trauma and reconciliation work.
They went through collective stocktaking and strategizing to be more effective in engaging a political environment where peace is slowly gaining ground in the South while the rest of the country is saddled with issues of impunity, insecurity, violence, and fragility especially in most conflict-affected communities. The recent phenomenal passage and signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) may be the only silver lining in the current national firmament but it's time to roll up our sleeves and release the creative genius in us to overcome a highly-charged political reality in front of us in the light of the upcoming BOL plebiscite viz the shift to federalism, charter change, and a stalled GRP-NDFP peace talks.
Our deep gratitude to all who joined from various areas in Mindanao and Manila advocates who offered their time, heart, and passion for peace. Our utmost thanks, too, to our guest speakers - Asec Dickson Hermoso (OPAPP), Atty Aying Asis (Bangsamoro Transition Commission), Karlos Manlupig (Balay Mindanaw), Rose Trajano (PAHRA, iDefend) and officers from the Eastern Mindanao Command (Lt Col Jules Muhalli, and Lt Col Calimquim) sent by Lt Gen Benjamin Madrigal, Commanding General of Eastmincom.
This was organized by the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), and hosted by the Mindanao PeaceWeavers (MPW), in coordination with the All-Out Peace (AOP) network and allied groups under the project "Enhancing Political Dialogue for Inclusive Peace in the Bangsamoro" (Enpold) through the support of Australian Aid. - By Initiatives for International Dialogue