Ending clan wars for peace

It is a good feeling to know that the Muslim people are gradually supporting the MILF Bangsamoro peace deal. To express their support, the Iranun tribe in Maguindanao has signed a ceasefire agreement last April with local officials to end their bloody clan feud in the place. The agreement was signed by local officials, LGUs, Muslim clerics and the IMT (International Monitoring Team) from Malaysia.

So far, there are already 21 resolved family feuds facilitated by the Maguindanao Task Force on Reconciliation and Unification (MTFRU) and headed by Governor Toto Mangundadatu. The rido or clan feuds have already claimed so many lives in the past. It is now a common belief that the establishment of the Bangsamoro is not solely for the MILF and Moro tribes but will likewise benefit non-Muslim Christian settlers and indigenous peoples.

It is very, very possible that there will be no more clan wars in the future in Maguindanao because killing one another for petty problems and disagreements is senseless and unproductive. The people of Mindanao are really determined to have peace in their area, bury the hatchet for past grudges and work together to live in peace. — Ludy Lee Marciano, Dadiangas