MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Mar. 28 (PIA) --- In an effort to raise awareness on Bangsamoro identity and consciousness, an organization of young Moro professionals spearheaded this year’s celebration of the Bangsamoro Peace Week (BPW) in Northern Mindanao.
Anchored on the theme “Revisiting Our Past, Forging Our Future,” the Young Moro Professionals Network (YMPN) – Northern Mindanao conducted several activities online and in public places that included T-shirt campaigns, promotion of Moro pride on films and Facebook profiles and press meetings from March 18-25, 2011.
The group composed mostly of doctors, lawyers, nurses and government executives will also lead the launching of a photo exhibit dubbed “Moro” at SM-Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday, March 30.
The series of activities commemorated, in a more positive note, the infamous “Jabidah massacre” which is considered a turning point of the Bangsamoro struggle in Mindanao.
They believed that the Jabidah massacre is considered one of the tragic incidents in Bangsamoro history where dozens of Moro recruits on a training in Corregidor Island were massacred by government forces in 1968.
Journalist and peace advocate Samira Gutoc said they wanted to honor the brave women, men and children who died defending Moro homeland through the commemoration of the BPW.
“We are not re-launching an MNLF or MILF revolt or even condoning the Abu Sayyaf. We are creating an online and physical revolution founded on peace and understanding,” said Gutoc, one of the founding members of YMPN.
Citing that identity and history is valuable to any people and nation, Drieza Lininding, Secretary General of YMPN-Mindanao said it is about time that Filipino brothers and sisters expose themselves to the varied histories of the Islamized Muslims and Christianized Filipinos so that there be “acceptance” to each other.
Wearing black T-shirt with “I am Moro Professional” slogan, Hamida Guro, YMPN-Northern Mindanao Chairperson described the challenges confronted by Muslim minorities in Cagayan de Oro City.
Not having access to “halal” or allowable Muslim food, no legal assistance for women detainees, dormitories with signages of “Exclusively for Christians” and subdivisions which disallowed Muslim realty applicants were cited by Guro as some of the concrete examples of discrimination.
Some successful stories which should be documented as positive contribution to nation-building have also been listed by YMPN.
This includes the artistic creations of Maranao artist Dr. Sainuddin Moti dubbed “Darangen Dolls,” the first Muslim lady Asst. Secretary in the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Jehanne Mutin, who was a former awardee of The Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) and outstanding mayors and municipalities, such as Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur and Sulu in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Besides the celebration in Cagayan de Oro City, the BPW is also commemorated in other regions across the country with the support of other agencies and organizations, such as OPAPP and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). (Apipa Bagumbaran/PIA-10)
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