Building peace

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Building peace in the Philippines
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Mindanao is the second-largest island in the
Philippines. North- western Mindanao is humid
and mountainous.
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• One-storey buildings and wooden shacks on stilts
  are set back from the road amidst banana trees
  and coconut palms.

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• Many houses are surrounded by beautifully tended
  gardens with brightly coloured flowers, crops,
  chickens and water buffaloes.

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• History
• In the 14th century Islam was introduced by Arab
  and Malay traders and missionaries in the
  Southern islands including Mindanao.
• In the sixteenth century the Philippines, except
  the Muslim influenced south and central Mindanao,
  was colonised by Catholic Spain.
• After the Spanish American war in 1898, the of
  the Philippines was colonised by the United
  States.

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• In 1935 the country became self-governing and
  finally won independencein 1946.

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• Conflict over land
• In 1903 the US declared lands not registered to
  private persons or corporations public land.
  Almost the whole of Mindanao became public lands.
  
• It issued land titles allowing Christians to
  claim 16 hectares (later changed to 24), Muslims
  10 hectares and indigenous (native) people less
  than 5 hectares of land each.

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• Injustices from previous decades continue to
  trouble the Philippines.
• Conflict has been a way of life for several
  generations. The Philippines government is
  holding peace talks with the Moro Islamic
  Liberation Front (MILF).

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The 24 hectares One particular patch of 24
hectares in Inudaran is claimed by both Muslims
and Christians. War between government forces
and the MILF broke out here in 2000.
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More than 220 people have been killed on this one
patch of land.
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Pakigdait CAFODs partner in Mindanao, is
called Pakigdait, meaning north-western reaching
out in the name of peace. It is a mixed
Christian-Muslim organisation formed in 2000 when
the conflict became particularly heated.
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Pakigdait engages in interfaith dialogue. It
helps Christians and Muslims to meet and work
together. One way that it does this is by
conflict management activities such as workshops,
which trace the causes of the conflict and enable
people to understand and share with each other.
It helps them work together to find solutions.
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• Pakigdait also runs community development
  programmes, strengthening livelihoods in poor,
  rural areas.

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Ansari Christmar Pernia, (R) and Merlito (Maley)
Delacalzada, volunteers with CAFOD partner
Pakigdait, embrace at a special ritual for
Christians and Muslims organised by Pakigdait to
mark the end of Ramadan.
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For this and other regularly updated secondary
school resources, please visit www.cafod.org.uk/s
econdary

• All photographs Annie Bungeroth