Tubod, Lanao del Norte – “The civil society organizations and non-government organizations are our reliable partners for peace and unity here in Lanao del Norte”, declared Gov. Khalid Dimaporo during the culmination rites of the Mindanao Week of Peace celebrated on December 3 at the coastal town of Kauswagan, this province.


Dubbed as “Panagtabgo sa Kalinaw”, the peace assembly was organized by Pakigdait ug Pag-Amoma Alang sa Kalinaw or Pakigdait, an interfaith grassroot peacebuilder organization.


Two simultaneous activities to further strengthen peace in the community were also initiated by the organizers and the provincial government, the Bike for Peace and Medical Mission for Peace.


Governor Dimaporo recognized the significant contribution the CSOs and NGOs have made in restoring normalcy in the lives of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) after the MILF attacks last August 2008.


“The war is not between the Muslims and Christians, but it is between the MILF and the government forces”, former-representative Abdullah Dimaporo explained.


The peace initiatives implemented by the provincial LGU have preserved the peace and unity between three dominant ethnic groups in the province: Maranaos, Visayans and Lumads.


“It is the Muslims and Christians that decided for themselves to unite so that peace may reign in this place”, Abdullah Dimaporo concluded. VNL/PIO-LDN