Peace advocates hail ceasefire monitoring center in Buliok

COTABATO CITY — Peace advocates in Central Mindanao hailed as a "major stride" in President Arroyo’s peace overture with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) the setting up of a ceasefire monitoring center, equipped with modern communications equipment, in the Buliok complex.

Located in Barangay Bago Inged, Pikit town, the ceasefire monitoring center was activated last week by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process with the help of the government and MILF peace panels.

It is manned by observers tasked to document truce violations either by rebel or military forces.

"This is a big boost to our efforts to accelerate peace and development in and around the Buliok complex," said Abdurahman Piang, the grand mufti (missionary) in Pikit, the known gateway to the Buliok complex.

The 3,000-hectare Buliok complex, a former MILF enclave, is now a "peace zone" where various rehabilitation projects are being implemented for impoverished families of separatist rebels.

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, whose office is helping Malacañang oversee socio-economic projects in the Buliok complex, said the ceasefire monitoring center will help the government and MILF peace panels document ceasefire violations which local residents will bring to its attention.

"The creation of this outfit augurs well for the efforts of the government, the local governments of Pikit and Pagalungan, the 2nd Marine Brigade and the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade in converting the Buliok complex into a progressive peace zone," Dureza said.

Malu Cadeliña-Manar, a hard-hitting commentator of dxMS "peace radio," an outfit of the Oblate congregation actively campaigning for religious and cultural solidarity, said soldiers and MILF rebels can now report ceasefire violations instead of exchanging accusations that can only worsen the animosity between them.

"This creation of a ceasefire monitoring station is a big boost to the efforts of maintaining the fragile peace now in the Buliok complex," Manar said.

The Buliok complex was the MILF’s supposedly last stronghold, which fell to government control on Feb. 14 last year after a week-long air, artillery and ground offensive.

The MILF’s former chairman, Hashim Salamat, established a guerrilla command center in the area, now a demilitarized zone, where costly government rehabilitation projects, many of them assisted by local and foreign donors, are being implemented.

Just last week, the Marines turned over to the residents of the Buliok complex nine schools they had rebuilt with the help of the GMA-7 Kapuso Foundation.

Col. Mohammad Ben Dolorfino, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade, said the nine rehabilitated schools, with a total of 29 classrooms, were personally inspected last week by Mel Tiangco of the GMA-7 Kapuso Foundation.

"We are very grateful for the support of the GMA-7 Kapuso Foundation for the rehabilitation efforts of the Marines in the Buliok complex. The rehabilitation of these schools, mostly damaged in last year’s hostilities, complements the government-MILF peace overture," Dolorfino said.

He said the GMA-7 Kapuso Foundation spent P2.4 million for the repair of the nine schools and for two community playgrounds and nine mini-libraries for Buliok’s schoolchildren.