Source: AKMK
OUR WORKS FOR COHESIVE AND PEACEFUL COMMUNITIES IN MINDANAO CONTINUE!
The Mindanao-based Consortium of Civil Society Organizations composed of Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement (MPPM), Tri-People’s Organization Development against Disasters (TRIPOD) Foundation, Mindanao Tri-People Women Resource Center (MTWRC) and Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan (AKMK) under the Freedom of Religion and Beliefs (FoRB) Program express our heartfelt solidarity and condolences to the victims, families, and all MSU-Marawi stakeholders following the tragic explosion that occurred inside the MSU-Marawi Dimaporo Gymnasium during the First Sunday Catholic Mass last December 03, 2023.
We, along with other interfaith and peace organizations in Mindanao, strongly condemn the bombing explosion inside the MSU-Marawi gymnasium, which killed four people and injured 45 others. Nothing could justify this senseless violence act at the expense of civilian lives. We believe that this heinous act of violence and aggression against civilians has no place in tri-people communities and that it instead was aimed at propagating harmful convictions and ideologies that only serve to create and espouse hatred and divisiveness within and between communities. Such acts of violence do not represent any religion or community but rather use religion as a weapon to achieve their ultimate dogmatic and extremist goals.
Mindanao's communities have a long history of violence, insecurities, displacements, exclusions, and hostility among diverse identities and peoples. This has had a significant impact on people's lives, relationships, and prospects. This experience manifested from sporadic and protracted conflicts such as Mamasapano, the Marawi siege, and the recent MSU-Marawi bombing that only reinforced and intensified discrimination and biases against certain cultures and religions.
We condemn any form of violence. We also condemn violence, physical or verbal, as a response to this terror. We are saddened by the pushback of this senseless violent act in the communities, especially after observing and witnessing the proliferation of hate speech and statements directed at Muslim communities on social media and the virulent and malicious SMS messages being circulated meant to cause discord, fear, and mistrust within and amongst us. This will provide the spoilers and marketers of violence with more opportunities and satisfaction to further sow more tensions, disrupt peace gains, and divide us even more, which we never tolerated and will continue to resist This heinous act has nothing to do with being a Christians and Muslims or Indigenous Peoples. It has no name or identity.
We, the FoRB Consortium and partner communities working on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) want to stress the significance of promoting religious tolerance in transitional communities today onward. It is crucial to strengthen our interfaith and inter-religious dialogue and solidarity efforts to reduce and counter harmful beliefs that lead to prejudices and violence among and within religious groups. Now is the time to come together, to bridge our divides, to maintain and deepen the dialogue between the Tri-people.
It is also crucial that we continue our efforts to rebuild cohesive relationships and promote peaceful communities in Mindanao. Let us not allow the actions from marketers of violence to undermine our gains and hard work. Instead, let us remain steadfast in our aspirations and commitment to creating a just, inclusive, and sustainable future!
FoRB Consortium Solidarity Statement
#BuildPeaceNow
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