We join the peoples and communities of Mindanao and the Philippines in celebrating a very significant milestone in the quest for just and lasting peace in our homeland.
We congratulate and express our deep gratitude to the leadership and negotiators of GPH and MILF, and the other people and institutions who have made peace a more real and achievable possibility for us.
As the GPH-MILF Peace Process enters a higher level of hard constructive work towards inclusive peace, we reiterate our commitment to continue offering and giving our own modest share through our community-based peacebuilding work with our partners in Aleosan, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Lanao, Basilan and other communities affected by the violent conflicts in the past.
We reaffirm our belief that lasting peace can only be achieved when the peoples, communities and all the stakeholders are given the space to be active pursuers and builders of their own peace. No one should be excluded.
As a family, we also take pride in congratulating people who are specially close to Balay Mindanaw – Raissa Jajurie of the MILF Panel, and Emma Leslie and Steve Rood of the International Contact Group – who are some of the key people who have significantly contributed towards keeping the peace process and our hopes for just, lasting and inclusive peace truly alive.
Balay Mindanaw Group of NGOs
7 October 2012