OneWorld.net (U.S.)

OneWorld.net note: Families forced to flee armed conflict in the Mindanao region of the Philippines received much-needed medical and humanitarian supplies from a group that also launched a gardening for peace project in local public schools.

• Getting a vaccination from a relief worker in Mindanao. © Asia America InitiativeAfter a formal accord on the expansion of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was blocked by the Philippine courts in early August, the secessionist rebel group awarded the region in a 1996 peace agreement took up arms once again. The subsequent fighting between the army and rebels has forced at least 200,000 people to flee their homes, reported Amnesty International in late August.
  

• Despite the breakdown of peace talks and revival of the decades-long conflict in the southern Philippines -- where Muslim Mindanao is located -- this region "has great economic and social potential as the 'rice basket of the Philippines,'" writes Asia America Initiative Director Al Santoli.

• To read more about conflict and human rights in the Philippines, visit OneWorld UK's Philippines country guide.

MISSION OF PEACE AND HOPE: EMERGENCY MEDICINES DELIVERED BY ASIA AMERICA INITIATIVE NGO TO MINDANAO CONFLICT AREAS

From: Asia America Initiative

September 7, 2008

Responding to the humanitarian crisis created by the armed conflict in Mindanao, the private NGO Asia America (AAI) delivered medical and other humanitarian supplies worth more than 22 million pesos [$500,000] to displaced Christian and Muslim families. The effort led by AAI President Albert Santoli and AAI Philippine Director Rohaniza Sumndad, is emphasizing solidarity and peace-building among Muslim and Christian communities.

Ms. Sumndad whose family hails from Marawi City is a graduate of Assumption College and is also an Ayala Young Leader who is organizing peace advocacy among people representing all Filipino cultures. In the support for the AAI mission, student organizations and a variety of businesses, private organizations local government units contributed supplies, transportation and manpower to assist the refugees and to be volunteer Catalysts for Peace.

"In our interaction with the victims of violence in Iligan City, Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato", Ms. Sumndad says, "we learned that this is not a battle between neighbors of different religions who in some cases are living together in temporary outdoor shelters and share what little necessities of life are available. They strongly expressed that living in inter-cultural communities, they do not want a religious war".

The AAI Team found that all of the impacted communities lack the most basic shelter, medical care and food supplies with sanitation and clean water a desperate priority. Refugees are camped at public schools, barangay multi-purpose centers, in muddy fields and with impoverished relatives.

"In every group of refugees we encountered", says Mr. Santoli. "they had little more than clothes on their backs and with the largest population being infants and small children. In some cases, we had to purchase forks and spoons because they do not even have basic tools for survival. They fear going back to their homes because of the growing threat of on-going armed conflict and terror attacks".

Ms. Sumndad adds, "Officials and Doctors in every refugee center requested trauma counseling and the need for healing children who were exposed to extreme violence even the murder of family members. Social workers in the camps recommended that healing activities could take the form of simple children's games. AAI donated stuffed animals and infant toys to help comfort the children in the camps".

In Lanao del Sur, AAI inaugurated a "Gardens of Peace" Project which involves vegetable and flower gardening in public schools in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), Department of Education and the Provincial Government. Medical supplies were donated by private companies like Unilever, Burpee Seeds and MedPharm, charitable institutions such as the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, NGOs such as International Relief and Development and Missionary Expediters, Atty. John Hemenway and from student groups at the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University. Packing and mobilizing in Iligan City was conducted by volunteer students from St. Michaels College, Mindanao State University - College of Medicine and an Ayala Young Leader Chapter called AYLA-MILAN. Transportation was provided by NorthWest Airlines and the Philippine Airlines Foundation.

For more information on armed conflict and humanitarian aid in the Philippines, visit Asia America Intitiative.