Soldiering for peace in Mindanao

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Muslim and Christian peace-builders in this city soldier on as they celebrate the 22nd year of the Week of Peace here from Nov. 29 to December 5.

The multi-sectoral parade that formally kicked off the celebration on Thursday, drew a few thousands of students and teachers from private and public schools, military, police and government personnel, urban poor, farmers, lumads, Muslim and Christian religious leaders, and members of civil society organizations.

The parade weaved around the city’s Pasonanca Park and culminated in a short program at the Boy Scout camp amphitheater there.

“Muslims and Christians and indigenous people walking together in the parade is symbolic of their shared desire for peace,” said Fr. Angel Calvo, president of Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ), which has spearheaded the celebration since its inception.

“This year, the Interreligious Solidarity for Peace, (ISP) notwithstanding the threats to peace by some misguided sectors of society, stands firm (on) its tenets of reaching out to all those who love peace and brotherhood,” said Hadji Ali Yacub, Muslim convenor of ISP, the flagship interfaith platform of PAZ.

This year’s theme is “Human Security: The Agenda for Peace and Hope”.

Pre-Week activities included a peace camp and mural painting of peace-themed art on the fences of the Zamboanga State Polytechnic College.

Apart from the opening day parade, the activities include the Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao, historical and solidarity journey to the Subanon community in Limpapa Barangay, Peaceweavers Awards Night, forum on the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and Indigenous Peoples Community Fun Day. The traditional closing day evening torch parade will culminate in a musical concert.

“The Week of Peace is a parable of hope. Its observance is now a tradition in the city,” Calvo said.

“This year’s theme is a fitting statement for a brighter and better world for the next generations of Muslims and Christians in Mindanao and the whole of Filipino nation,” Yacub said.

The peace overdrive was launched two years after PAZ was organized by a few concerned Catholic and Muslim religious leaders as the Abu Sayyaf staged a wave of kidnappings and terroristic atrocities in the region, including Zamboanga City, upending the local population’s sense of security.

Together with the Moro rebellion, the Abu Sayyaf has been giving the Western Mindanao region serious security problems.

The threats and attacks strengthened the resolve of the region’s peace advocates like PAZ and ISP.

Each Week of Peace observance is always grounded on current hard issues, such as the holding of the forum on the BOL during the present occasion.

As it has been in past years, the city mayor issued an executive order acknowledging the significance of the celebration.

Mayor Ma. Isabel Climaco-Salazar, in her latest executive order, “called upon the constituents of Zamboaga to actively participate in the week-long activities prepared by Peace Advocates Zamboanga and Interreligious Solidarity for Peace.”

The celebration is also recognized and endorsed by two previous Presidential proclamations.