Introduction:

In light of the raging crisis in Mindanao that has put the ongoing peace process in danger of caving in, it is imperative upon the youth to come together and collectively take action. With widening gaps among the diverse people of Mindanao and the seeming confusion of the public, there is no reason more pressing for young people to reflect and better understand the current situation so as to have an informed decision on the Mindanao conflict necessary for building a future that is grounded on the culture of peace.

In this regard, the youth component of MPC takes an initiative to collaborate with other youth network that has also with the same inspiration towards peace and development in Mindanao . Thus, convergence of youth organization was seen as effective in enhancing the camaraderie of tri-people that would serve as replica to other organization as evidence that we can exist collectively despite of beliefs and traditions.

Preparatory activities:

September 18, 2008 - led by Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute and Generation Peace Network, a preparatory/ consultation meeting was held at KFI, Cotabato city. The meeting was attended by various youth organization and mostly convener of GenPeace. The GZOPI being the secretariat of GenPeace Network revealed the intention of holding the Tri-people Youth Peace Summit. In principle, the proposed activity was approved and the meeting was resulted in forming a Technical Working Group who will be responsible in the formulation of concept paper on which MPC was selected as member.

An E-group was formed (building-bridges- mindanao @yahoogroups.com ) for the convenors and TWG in order to discuss in details the mechanics of the activity and to solicit opinions and ideas of other convenors and also to give updates on its progress.

September 28 - TWG Meeting at MPC Davao office (TWG members: GZOPI, MPC, Balay Rehab, UNYPAD and Akbayan Youth)

Results of the meeting:

• Since MPC youth program has insufficient budget, we offered voluntarily (in tandem with UNYPAD) to be responsible in the identification of venue, community visits, sending of communication to RPs based in Cotabato City and facilitation of vigil rally, meeting with MILF panel, radio interviews and press conference.

• The concept paper and tasking of TWG as lead facilitator was finalized

• Final Schedule of Youth Peace Summit scheduled on October 25-29

• Each organization will send three delegates

• Total pax is 60 (20 IPs, 20 Moros and 20 Settlers) no. of pax excluded the lead facilitators and prep committee members

October 24 - arrival of GZOPI and GenPeace to Cotabato city

Final briefing of facilitators and secretariat held at Saint Joseph , Tamontaka, DOS, SK

Dinner meeting with Japanese reporter and IMT-Japan

Per invitation from the Bureau Chief of Mainichi newspaper, Mr. Junichi Yano, we had a good dinner at Peach Chinese Restaurant in Cotabato City . Rexall, Ardan and Mashod met the Japanese reporter, his Filipino staff and the IMT-Japan. The meeting was confined on Bantay Ceasefire operations and sharing of major activities done by MPC.

Since the Japanese reporter has no clear itinerary of his visit to Cotabato City , we encouraged them to accompany the youth to Datu Piang on October 26 to personally assess the conditions of IDPs and also meet the local officials of the said municipality. Also, we facilitated the meeting/interview with Ulama, BMYLF and GZOPI as main host of the youth peace summit.         

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Building Ethno-Cultural and Interfaith Bridges and Understanding among the Youth
Mindanao Youth Peace Summit and Peace Mission
October 25-28, 2008

OBJECTIVES

1.       To develop appreciation on the different cultural backgrounds of the youth in Mindanao ;

2.       To provide a venue to discuss the peace and conflict situation and its effect to the youth;

3.       To draw out an agenda and action plan for peace in Mindanao ;

4.       To facilitate sharing of peace issues and draw support for youth peace agenda through a dialogue with local peace and conflict stakeholders.

COMPONENTS

1.       Community Visits

2.       Peace Mission

3.       Agenda Building and Action Planning

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACTIVITIES:

The first day of the activity was allocated for community visits to Moro, settler and IP communities, zones of peace and conflict areas, tri-people communities, and evacuation centers. During the visits, there will interactions with community/tribal leaders, youth and dialogue with evacuees. The visit primarily aims to develop appreciation on Muslim and indigenous peoples' lives, situation, aspirations and culture; and to gather issues and concerns from the communities and evacuation centers, which will be raised to key stakeholders during the peace mission component.

The participants were divided into three groups and proceeded on the same day to Datu Piang, Midsayap and North Upi, respectively.

It is worthwhile to mention that Timuay Melanio Ulama facilitated remarkably during the visit of 25 young leaders to Barangay Darugao, North Upi, SK.  The participants were amazed when they will meet by cultural dance group composed of elderly woman.

In Datu Piang, the depression of IDPs languishing in evacuation centers was witnessed by Mr. Juinichi Yano, Bureau Chief- Mainichi daily newspaper, who joins the participants to personally observe the situation of IDPs affected by the offensive operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines .

The experienced of youth during the site visit was indeed a frustrations coupled with anger as they witnessed the plight of innocent civilians affected by this non sense war.

27 October 2008

The morning activity was filled with a live discussion on Mindanao peace process perspectives with input shared by the different resource persons and followed by a workshop in the afternoon.

At 5:30 PM, the participants transported to Cotabato City Polytechnic College and were met by other youths based in Cotbato City led by the United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD). More than 100 tri-people youth peacefully walking, bringing with placards and chanting (YES TO PEACE IN MINDANAO!) from Polytechnic College and ends at City Plaza. A vigil rally coupled with a short program highlighted the activity and witnessed by Media Fact Finding Tour organized by MPC.

Meeting With MILF Peace Panel

After the vigil rally, a selected tri-people youth leader met the MILF Peace Panel led by Mohagel Iqbal at KFI office. Most of the youth are first time to meet the Chairman of the panel and they expresses thanks and gratitude for the opportunity to personally encounter the respectable head of the MILF panel.

The meeting lasted for more than two hours with open discussions related to the struggle of the Bangsamoro and MILF.

28 October 2008

MINDANAO YOUTH PEACE AGENDA AND ACTION PLAN

The Mindanao Youth Peace Agenda was the consolidated output of the three days activity and was presented to key stakeholders for critiquing and appropriate action. Among the invited stakeholders are the Head of Mission- International Monitoring Team, Commission on Human Rights-XII, Office of Southern Cultural Communities and Mayor's office of the Cotabato City .

PRESS CONFERENCE

A tri-media were invited during the press conference and bombarded queries to the panel composed of tri-people who are enthusiastic to reply their questions.

The ABS-CBN local TV has shown the highlights of the activities during their show on TV Patrol Central Mindanao.

29 October 2008

Luncheon Meeting with USAid Mission Director, US officials and World Food Program

Led by USAid Mission Director, Mr. John D. Linborg, officials from US Embassy and World Food Program Country Director, the round table meeting was attended by the key officials of various line agencies of the government (e.g. DOH, DSWD, DTI, etc.) including the Cotabato City Chambers of Commerce. The meeting has no specific agenda other than to be informed them of the interventions of the government including the NGOs concerning the recent incident between the government of the Philippines and MILF and on how to address the plight of IDPs in the evacuation centers.

Most of the participating organization particularly from the government line agency proudly presented their humanitarian relief operations. The Cotabato City Chambers of Commerce said that the present situation was slightly affected the business operations in Central Mindanao or in Region-XII including the provinces of Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan.    

MPC thru the representation of Ustadz Rahib Kudto as Program Coordinator while Ardan Sali as Team Leader of its youth Program was singing a different tune with other co-participants in giving updates to the American people. For us, it was the right venue and forum to present the sentiments of the Bangsamoro people and expose on how the government of the Philippines betrayed the former for not seriously addressing the grievances of the Bangsamoro people.

Ustadz Rahib highlighted that there is actually a humanitarian crisis and that the interventions of the government and other foreign assisted project to the IDPs is not a solution to the ongoing conflict. Although, admittedly, the ongoing relief operations is of great help to the IDPs but the root cause of the problems should be sincerely addressed in order to find a lasting peace in Mindanao.  A political solution is the only way to resolve the old century conflict in Mindanao .

We affirmed and attested the presentation of Ustadz Rahib to the Honorable American People and disclosed with them that the Bangsamoro youth in particular is furious to the Philippine government for the aborted signing of MOA-AD and the declaration of MOA-AD as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The new paradigm of the government imposing the DDR before going back to the negotiation table is a clear manifestation that the government of the Philippines doesn't want peace to reign in Mindanao . Thus, the UN interventions is sought to save the peace process because the Bangsamoro people has nothing more trust and confidence with the Philippine government-after all the deliberate act to deceive the Bangsamoro for not adhering the consensus points being agreed since the starts of the peace talks.

Since we hold a different view and obviously emotional in our presentation, the discussion was put to end and they suggested a private conversation (one- on- one) to the participants.

The USAid Mission Director talked us privately and we continued our recommendations which they politely pay attention to our pleas.