Recognition: Open Letter to the ICRC Geneva

Open Letter to the

International Committee

of the Red Cross

Both government non-government groups have acknowledged the efforts of individuals and groups that pushed doggedly onwards with efforts to build a more peaceful Mindanao.

Endless is the list of these courageous individuals and associations that have contributed their own share towards making Mindanao more prosperous and more dynamic by fostering peace and order, stability and security in that part of the Philippines.

Although we bring our hats down to those individuals who have succeeded to some small measure, in proverbially increasing safe spaces in Sulu Province and other terrorist hotbeds by reducing the numbers of the terrorists in these parts apart from accomplishing other dauntless feats.

Such feat accomplished for instance by a retired former operator in Sulu, PNP Gen. Bienvenido Garcia Latag, as well as posthumous praises for PNP Gen. Julasirim Kasim, active duty officers PNP Gen. Sonny Yanga David, PNP Major Emir Aviola Saddaramil, PNP Chief Inspector Eduardo Borromeo, PNP Superintendent Elmedio Bonaoy Tagra, PNP Director Felizardo Serapio, PNP General Roland Purruganan, the fearless Governor Abdusakur Tan of Sulu who chaired the ICRC Crisis Management Committee together with a large number of others working under them, including 'imported' units from other regions, the Special Action Forces, civilian fighters from among the Sulu population, that may have been forgotten by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for placing their own lives in great danger during the rescue of the three ICRC staff who were kidnapped and held hostage by civilians inspired and backed by their political patrons in Sulu Province and turned over to the Abu Sayyaf.

(Shown in the picture above is the happy face of released Swiss hostage Mr. Andreas Notter of the International Committee of the Red Cross receiving his well-loved wooden staff back.  Earlier released was Ms. Mary Lacaba -- also of ICRC to be followed much, much later by the release of Engineer Eugenio Vagni. Mr. Notter fell in love with and became attached to the wooden staff he carried along with him during his long period of captivity.)

We also doff our hats to the US armed forces engaged in Joint Training Exercises in Sulu during this time and in the succeeding periods, for bravely facing the threats and dangers of confronting the terrorist groups and their political patrons in Sulu. Those that suffered casualties -- both Filipino and American who risked their lives in fighting for the peace in those troubled areas in Mindanao.

The community safety project group salutes all these individuals and bestow them The Highest Distinction for Service in Pursuit of Peace Golden Olive Branch Award.

To us in the community safety project, there can not be any higher reward.

We invite and most humbly appeal to the right senses of the leadership of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to recognize the brave people of not only the Philippines but also of other countries who helped in the rescue of their staff Mary Lacaba, Eugenio Vagni and Andreas Notter and brought them back to the Red Cross alive and breathing whereas other tragic fates may have befallen them.

Any other act in the name of simply forgetting or diverting the recognition to people that do not even deserve an iota of praise cannot be acceptable.

We urge the Red Cross to give even a small sense of satisfaction to these individuals and the groups that participated in the most daring war vs. Southern Philippine terrorists that brought about huge casualties on the side of the enemy, yet success in the recovery of the abducted victims.

As a postcript, we do not wish the Red Cross to recall their commendations and other means of recognitions and citations to those who did nothing in the ICRC Crisis. Let the awards and commendations remain in the hands of their recipients. At least it will be a small memento to bring with them into their advanced, senior age and something to be proud about regardless that the icons and citations may be undeserved.

Please do kindly share our belief, that when we give due recognition to those that genuinely work for peace, they will exert doubled effort in the remainder of their years in this life.

More power to you ICRC!

Yours truly,

The Community Safety Summit Project

Modernization

Peace efforts and modernization will go well together. Peace and development are compatible with each other. All outmoded approaches, scientific knowledge and technology are a bane to peace. All corruption without regard to growth and progress are harmful to peace. But all of these also apply vice versa. The choice is all ours to make.

Mindanao peace overtures

Ms. Corazon Soliman (erstwhile of the Philippine social development sector now of DSWD), Atty. Hector Soliman , Mr. Rolando Modina, Mr. Boy Ridao, Sol Botictic among a few others, started in depth discussions and initial community-based social action on the concept of community based resolution of conflict and keeping the peace in the grassroots. The beneficient fund groups from Switzerland supported the activity.

Centre di Humanes et Societas, Inc. took over from where Ms. Soliman and co. left this noble undertaking at. Credit is due to Ms. Soliman and company for envisaging such a valuable insight into how hostilities at the very grassroots level can be resolved.

Certainly, the real tasks are a very tall order and it involves extensive and intense social engineering: empowerment of the masses, strengthening their determination and resolve to be able to literally dictate their own welfare and future. A future that must be peaceful, orderly, stable, secure and thereby prosperous. The experience of PNP General Edgardo Ingking in Region VI when he was a local commander as told by him personally, touches largely upon grassroots led peace initiatives. These kinds of experiments can be replicated with more and more positive features being added along, constant shifting of paradigms and parameters for introducing and sustaining peace into and within the grassroots communities.

Hopefully, new overtures will be made in Southern Philippines in the next coming days. It is hoped that such actions will lead to a lasting peace in that part of the Philippine Islands.

To the unsung heroes that will launch and sustain these undertakings in Mindanao, we say, hurray and more power to all of you!  May your actions be blessed with success and may your tribe increase thousandfolds!!!