CBCP, diplomatic community commit to help push for talks to continue : QC IMC

This developed as the diplomatic community also committed to help find “models” that could possibly help break the impasse in the peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The commitments were expressed in separate meetings with the 17-man delegation of a lobby mission organized by the Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) in its effort to rally more support for the peace process in Mindanao and “nationalize” the Southern Philippines peace and development concerns.

At the meeting with the diplomatic community, Prof. Octavio Dinampo, co-chair of the MPC who hails from Jolo, Sulu, appealed to the 16 representatives of various foreign embassies and Overseas Development Agencies to help find “alternative solutions that could possibly help push the peace talks back to its track.”

Dinampo, who was one of five presenters that included Fr. Bert Layson, also co-chair of the MPC representing the Christian settlers, Melanio Ulama, the MPC chair who is a T'duray leader, and Atty. Mary Ann Arnado, the Caucus' secretary-general, told the diplomatic community representatives that “unless everybody acts as stakeholders to the current crisis, everyone also is bound to loose-to include even spoilers, third parties, saboteurs and the so-called hawks.”

After the meeting with the diplomatic community, the lobbyists were met by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, who was joined by four other bishops and priests at the CBCP office.

Ledesma's group, which recognized the lobbyists request for a more constant dialogue so together they could address pressing issues besetting their constituents, said they were “happy that the grassroots people are here to talk to us.”

The lobby team also urged the religious leaders to help “find the moral and spiritual perspective of finding peace, hoping it will help guide the peace negotiators in resolving the impasse in the talks.”

Since the peace talks between the government and the MILF “broke down” on September 7, the communities affected by previous wars in Mindanao, including the civil society organizations have been alarmed with “the possibility of another round of evacuation, displacement and uprooting of economic livelihood, to include adverse psycho-social effects,” relayed Dinampo.

Towards the end of the meeting, the group of religious leaders committed to help the Mindanaoans call for a national consultation where the Mindanao peace and development agenda would be discussed.

Tomorrow (October 27) at 10:00-12:00 in the morning, the lobby group will call a press conference at the Alex's Grill along Matalino St. in Quezon City.

In the afternoon, they will hold a separate meeting with the Malaysian ambassador to the country and Manila-based non-government organizations to jointly plan for their next steps.

They said they have not yet abandoned their wish to really meet the President who has reportedly promised to listen to the MPC delegation after she comes home from a trip to China.

26 October 2006