We are sharing this letter here from the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) because of its particular interest to our alumni in Mindanao and the Philippines and for all our alumni to see what is required for a transition from an armed conflict to peacefully resolved conditions. We especially encourage you to read the 12-point appeal that highlights the conditions for positive peace.

Dear Esteemed Brothers and Sisters in the BTA,

Peace and Blessings of God be upon you.

Alhamdullilah! We are indeed happier to see the top leaders of the MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] and the MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] in a unity meeting in the recent days. Those who led the revolution and fought for us are now given the opportunity to run our government in the BTA and other LGUs [Local Government Units]. In the same vein, we are glad to know the new composition of the BTA where the different revolutionary organizations are represented with other sectors coming from the IPs, Christian settlers, legal personalities, politicians, academe, etc. We are made to believe that this choice of the new membership of the BTA is anchored on the call for unity and inclusive development in the BARMM [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao]. We will be more than happy to see solidarity in actions in the BTA.

Strong leadership, initiation of changes and bridging the gaps to help the public voice heard’, were the recurring ideas stressed on by the panelists during the consultative meet on “The Role of Civil Society in Peace Building” organized by Peace Channel in collaboration with NESRC and NEISSR on 27th August, 2022, at Peace Centre, 7th Mile St. Joseph Campus, Chümoukedima. Rev. Dr. Mazie Nakhro, Director, Bright Horizon, Chümoukedima, Ms. Doichong Phom, Ambassador of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Longleng District, and Social & Cultural Secretary, Eastern Naga Women Organization (ENWO) and Rev. Fr. Dr. Walter Fernandes, Director, North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC), Guwahati, Assam spoke on the various aspects of peacebuilding as the panelists. The discussion was moderated by Rev. Fr. Chacko Karinthayil, Director, Shalom Rehabilitation Centre, Chümoukedima.

We are pleased to announce that MPI facilitator and Board of Trustees president Myla Leguro and MPI facilitator Wendy Kroeker are included as joint authors of a chapter in the book Confronting Peace: Local Peacebuilding in the Wake of a National Peace Agreement. The book is available for purchase as an ebook or hard-covered book online through SpringerLink.

North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR), Dimapur organized Peace Knit, in collaboration with Peace Channel, Dimapur as part of a NEISSR fest celebration on 11th December 2021at 9.30 a.m. on the theme “Storytelling for Peacebuilding in Communities.” The seminar had threefold objectives, namely: to locate the place of storytelling in the peacebuilding approaches of John Paul Lederach; to know how storytelling can counter stereotypes and build empathy and genuine relationship in communities; to have a greater understanding of how storytelling can be promoted as an effective tool for peacebuilding in communities.