ZAMBOANGA CITY (26 MAY 2023) — More than 20 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Forces – Moro Islamic Liberation Front Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) took part in a Training of Trainers (ToT) held here at Zambowood, Zamboanga City.

The activity was spearheaded by the Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) and the Balay Rehabilitation Center (BRC), which conducted sessions on self-care, well-being, and healing to help shift the mindset of the former combatants “from war to peace.”

The project dubbed Accompanying the Transition, Transformation of Conflict, and Advocacy on Social Cohesion in the Normalization of Bangsamoro (ATTAIN) is being funded by the European Union.

The five-day training was participated by the decommissioned MILF members who served as volunteer facilitators for each project site. The program aims to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills that would enable them to facilitate self-care and well-being sessions.

The first batch of trainees, which was attended by 60 decommissioned combatants from Maguindanao and North Cotabato, was held from May 8 to 12 in Cotabato City.

Continuing support to Normalization Program

According to Nonviolent Peaceforce Head of Mission Ronnie Delsy, “Islamic autonomy is [contained] in Shari’ah law.” This is the reason why stakeholders must work hand in hand to ensure the successful implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

“In [the] Bangsamoro, this is not a short process. So imagine, we need to get all of the support to implement the process of continuation with you. If you would not walk together, the process will fail. The stakeholders are very crucial,” added Delsy.

Josephine Lascano, executive director of the Balay Rehabilitation Center, explained that the modules used in the training were crafted based on inputs gathered during “consultation sessions” with partners on the ground.

“Ang mga modules po natin ay hango sa mga consultation sa ground na nag-plot ng ideas na kayo mismo ang gagawa base sa inyung kultura, na basihan ang Hadith, Qur’an na ang practices is based sa Islam. Ginagawa po namin ito para sa interest ng Bangsamoro, hindi para sa aming interest,” Lascano stressed.

For Member of the Parliament and MILF-Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities (TFDCC) Chairperson Aida Silongan, the socio-economic development programs of the national government go through a stringent implementation process.

“Hinihiling lang po natin na kung pwedeng tumulong po tayo sa pag e-explain at pagpapaliwanag sa ating kapwa kasamahan na maraming pinagdadaanan pa po tungkol pag-implementa ng mga socioeconomic development programs para sa inyo dahil may proseso tayong sinusunod,” Silongan emphasized.

“Pagkat tayo ay laging na[bi]biktima ng kaguluhan. Pero mayroon din tayong kayang gawin. Sana itong training na ito, ay aligned sa Islamic perspective concerning the needs of the decommissioned combatants and their communities,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dorcas Julliete Caraig peace program officer of the GPH-TFDCC thanked the Non-violent Peaceforce and Balay Rehabilitation for supporting the Normalization Program.

The training included modules on “Pag-aaruga sa Sarili at Komunidad” (ladderized sessions healing, well-being, and peacebuilding); community-level orientation on self-care, well-being, and culture of peace; the conduct of self-care and well-being sessions; as well as referral and case management.

The training is among the requisites for decommissioning MILF members under the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed by the government and the MILF on March 27, 2014.

The MILF-BIAF members who completed the training have been tasked to handle the succeeding workshop of the next batch of trainees. ###