There is no need to mention the details, but this reflection is to join many in the world who have expressed indignation and pain over the Maguindanao Massacre of November 23. This day will mark forever a dark day in the history of Mindanao.
For those like us in Silsilah who have been working hard for many years to promote dialogue and peace among people of different cultures and religions this massacre raises the question “Why does hatred still prevail over love and reconciliation?” What happened on Nov. 23 was clearly a fight between clans from the same cultural background and the same religion. But new questions can be raised: “How have they reached this level of atrocity? Who have supported them during these years to reach this point?” If we correctly answer these questions we can identify powerful leaders among Christians and among Muslims who are responsible building this “culture of violence” for their own interest. Thus, the next question can be “What happened with the message of love that Christianity and Islam promote in the world?… and why does the greed for power make some people so blind as to reach the point of violence that happened in Mindanao on Nov. 23?”.
We, the members of Silsilah, a Movement of dialogue and peace composed of Christians and Muslims, cannot say that those who directly or indirectly are behind this massacre are not Christians nor Muslims. We cannot deny this reality, and we feel bad. They are accountable before God and society, and we are the ones again challenged to do more to promote dialogue, peace and reconciliation. We appeal to the many friends who work for dialogue and peace not to get discouraged if a number of our leaders today proclaim their commitment for “peace” but are behind war and violence. We have to go on with our mission of dialogue and peace. We have to encourage especially our youth to move together and put God at the center of their life and to be faithful to the moral values of their religion and work together for the common good.
We appeal especially to the youth who are forced by cultural practices of revenge to reject everything bad in their cultures and believe that in the future, sooner rather than later, peace is possible if we respect and love each other.
We hope and pray that no more massacre and violence will happen in our beautiful land of Mindanao and learn from our families, schools, religions and society beautiful stories of love and reconciliation. It is not too late, but we have to start now and form our personal commitment to find the determination to build together a culture of dialogue, path to peace.
In the Philippines Mindanao was known for a long time as the “land of promise”. Events and happenings in Mindanao in the very recent past have made a mockery of this appellation. May it be in our time that the real promise of Mindanao comes to be.