NPP-BCJP intensifies its community based HR programs

By Muhammad Musa

April 13, 2011 - The Nonviolent Peaceforce Philippines (NPP) and the Bangsamoro Center for JustPeace Inc. (BCJP) are intensifying their Human Rights (HR) program in the grassroots level through organizing rigid seminars and trainings in the community that were commonly affected by conflict and prone to human rights violations.


In terms of capacity building, theNPPis supportingthe BCJP’s Tiyakap Kagawib (Care for Rights), a local grassroots monitor led by a civilian group, which has been setup in several areas in Mindanao.

The NPP and the BCJP are working towards peace and human rights.

In February 2011, NPP, in collaboration with BCJP, hosted a “basic human rights training” in its field office in Datu Piang, Maguindanao. The training targeted both NPP’s partners such as the Annisa Peace Organisation (APO), Magungaya Mindanao Inc.(MMI) and their local monitoring structure, the Tiyakap Kawagib.

The participants came from the municipalities of Datu Piang, Mamasapano, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Guindulungan, Maguindanao.

The presenters in the trainings were members of NPP’sMaguindanao field team from its Conflict Prevention Program, the NPP’s Main Office based in Cotabato City,the BCJP, and theInstitute for Bangsamoro Studies (IBS), Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus (MPC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the International Monitoring Team (IMT).

Abdulbasit R. Benito, the BCJP Executive Director, said that their partnership with NPP was not limited to trainings,it includes making of publication andpeace-building activities.

The NPP is also supporting the efforts of BCJP and the Kadtuntaya Foundation Incorporated (KFI) to organize a ‘peace walk’ in Datu Piang, Maguindanao aimed at providing space for dialogue with the local government units, religious leaders, IDP leaders and business community members.

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an unarmedcivilian peacekeeping force that is invited to work in conflict zones worldwide. NP is sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights, thus creating the space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, enter into dialogue and seek peaceful resolution. They help to maintain ceasefires and advance the peace process. The Bangsamoro Center for JustPeace is a human rights and peace advocate organization that operates in Central Mindanao and founded in 2004. It is a founding member of the Center for JustPeace in Asia, (CJPA) a network of an interfaith peace movement in South Asia based in Hong Kong andis an active member of the Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (MinHRAC) and the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society-Kutawato Regional Management Center (KRMC).

BCJP along withother Moro civil society and non government organizations is supporting the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace process.