Mindanao's bishops and ulema relaunch their collaboration for peace
The collaborative body relaunches its mission with first meeting in years. Christian and Muslim leaders together call for the reinclusion of Sulu in the Bangsamoro autonomous region, to safeguard the achievements of the peace process. The satisfaction of the Silsilah movement: ‘Important step at this historic moment when divisions and conflicts emerge in the Philippines and in the world’.
Manila (AsiaNews) - The Conference of Bishops and Ulama (Islamic religious leaders) of Mindanao, in the south of the Philippines, has resumed its mission of dialogue and peace after a break of several years. It held its assembly in Davao City from 7 to 10 October 2024, taking on the new name Mindanao Religious Leaders Conference.
The restarting of the experience in a new format and according to the needs and aspirations that guide the mission of dialogue and peace was welcomed by many church leaders and civil society groups, including the Silsilah Dialogue Movement, which has been active in Mindanao for 40 years and has been in the forefront since the beginning of this experience through Fr Sebastiano D'Ambra, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Interreligious Dialogue alongside former Davao Archbishop Msgr Fernando Capalla.
For Silsilah, it was a source of great joy to learn that all Conference leaders approved the Prayer of Harmony, which the movement had prepared. ‘We are committed to carrying out this mission at this historic time when divisions and conflicts are emerging in the Philippines and around the world,’ reads a communiqué. "We need to reaffirm the universal brotherhood and sisterhood in the spirit of the document of ‘Human Fraternity’ signed by Pope Francis with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, in Abu Dhabi, on February 4, 2019,” the Silsilah Dialogue Movement statement said.
‘The signs of war around the world, the growing division between political and cultural groups in Mindanao, rising poverty and the reality of the climate emergency,’ the movement further writes, “remind us all that the mission that the Bishops”-Ulama Conference is starting now is very important, and Silsilah stands by me, especially in continuing the mission of education and solidarity with those in need.
Members of the Mindanao Conference of Religious Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work for peace and sustainable development, stating that the values of love, justice, harmony, respect, integrity, unity, reconciliation, spirituality and humanity guide our commitment to peace and sustainable development. They expressed their commitment to revitalize their role in peace building through their organizing platform, the Mindanao Religious Leaders Conference (MiRLeC), ‘promoting inclusiveness, governance and peace in the Bangsamoro (the Muslim autonomous region, the result of the peace accords ed.), in Mindanao and in the entire country.’
The bishops and ulema recognise that the implementation of the peace accords, the exclusion of Sulu, environmental injustice, extremism and terrorism pose enduring and emerging challenges to their peacebuilding efforts. More consolidated peace efforts are needed, including cascading peace dialogues and conversations, consolidation of peace constituencies, dialogue with local and other political leaders, and promotion of the role of women, youth and indigenous peoples.
Finally, Christian and Muslim religious leaders made a number of appeals to safeguard the achievements of the peace process, calling in particular for the re-inclusion of Sulu in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BARMM). To political leaders - in view of the upcoming mid-term elections in May 2025 for local and national politics - they call for sober, honest and peaceful campaigning efforts in communities and among voters. To institutions and peace organisations, the call is to consolidate their efforts to build social cohesion among communities and people of goodwill.
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