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Sunday, September 14, 2008
SC chief leads interfaith meet in Oro
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- A group of Christian and Muslim peaceniks that included the Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice gathered on Saturday in Cagayan de Oro to "pray and fast" for peace in Mindanao.
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Chief Justice Reynato Puno voiced concern over the recent violence in some parts of Mindanao during Saturday's interfaith assembly dubbed as "Christians and Muslims: Prayer and Fasting for Peace in Mindanao," headed by the Convergence for Mindanao Agenda (ACMA).
"A few weeks ago, the peace in Mindanao deteriorated when negotiation hit a standstill due to some problems," Puno said in his keynote speech.
Puno was referring to the High Court's issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the draft Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
He added: "We saw rage running riot, we witness anger rule instead of reason, we heard the call for violence and not a few unsheathed the sword of violence."
Puno said the interfaith gathering, which featured former domestic helper and abuse victim Sarah Balabagan, aims to forge a common ground for Muslim and Christian understanding.
Some Muslims, however, frowned at the gathering.
"Bakit nila sinasali ang mga Muslims dyan? Ginigera nga kami nitong mga sundalo at pulis habang kami nag Ramadan (Why are they involving Muslims in that affair? The army and the police are pounding on us while we are observing the Ramadan)," a Muslim woman in burqa who happened to pass by the gathering told this paper.
Another mall shopper, a 40-year-old Muslim man, said government officials like Puno should "stop appeasing us by using our name to clean their conscience from the atrocities committed to the Moro people because it's a great insult for us."
Kristine Lim, deputy secretary general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan-NMR), said she has no problems with people coming together to pray for peace, but added "prayers should be backed up with action."
Though prayers are helpful, Jesus himself taught us the importance of action such as sending "humanitarian workers, food, medicine and services for the victims of the continuing all out war, not soldiers armed with bombs and bullets," Lim added. (Cong B. Corrales/Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. (September 14, 2008 issue)
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