Moro Notes June 19 Edited

MORO NOTES June 19, 2009 Samira Gutoc-Tomawis With the first victory of a Filipino in bagging the coveted Cannes Film Festival Best Director award (for a police murder drama, KINATAY), here’s hoping more filmmakers show uncovered stories of Mindanao and the poverty bred by evacuation. A Cebu-based theatre artist ROGELIO BRAGA is slowly making his mark in collaborating with playwrights to write about the 1970 massacres in Lanao areas through the eyes of migrants-turned working-class individuals in Manila (www.virginlabest.com). *** Bishop Ulama Conference’s (BUC) Hamid Barra of the Ulama League of the Philippines defends the BUC from suspicions of government intervention in the BUC as it conducts “authentic dialogues” in the communities after a failed Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain ( MOA-AD) and stalled peacetalks. BUC’s recent 300 plus consultations nation-wide on the peace process is and will always be religious leaders-led, Barra noted. *** Save on energy use! BizNews Asia magazine cover features the country’s Energy Plan to push towards development of more indigenous energy and added renewable resources as we face the energy age. Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes notes that the country remains the top wind producer in Southeast Asia with a total of 33 megawatts (MW) in installed capacity. The Cagayan de Oro one MW gridconnected centralized solar photovoltaic power plant is the largest in Southeast Asia. BizNews Asia however does not mention any ARMM contribution to energy. Lanao del Sur is relevant in the country’s energy sector because the 7 hydroelectric power plants of National Power Corporation located within the

Lake Lanao’s FIVE tributaries are a major source of Mindanao’s energy. Reyes further notes that his department is no longer promoting large-scale hydropower projects because of the “damage huge dams can cause to the environment.” *** Four civilians in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, including a 7-year old child have been reportedly injured after being hit by more than 20 rounds of mortar shelling from a 105 howitzer last June 15. The Center for Just Peace forwarded the report - the incident occurred approximately from 10:50 to 11:15 . Mortal shells were fired by the military from Upper Salvo, Datu Piang, barangay Nabundas in Mamasapano and barangay in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao that hit Maahad evacuation camp in barangay Libutan Mamasapano and Maahad Buayan evacuation camp in Dapiawan, Datu Piang Maguindanao. ***

those whose pilgrimage is accepted by Allah, they come home with their sins forgiven. The Islamic religious leaders said only the first hajj is obligatory, while the next ones are only optional. In the Philippines, only the government through OMA is authorized to process the papers of pilgrims and endorse them for visa issuance to the Saudi Embassy, he said (Bulletin). *** The Kaagan Foundation convened the 1st KAAGAN Convention last June 13-14 at the Welborn Beach Resort, Magnaga, Pantukan, Compostela Valley. *** After the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Meet abroad last May in Damascus, MNLF Chairman Emeritus Nur Misuari said he will stay off travels to focus on editing a novel about him for mass circulation abroad which is being written by New York-based publishers. ***

The victims were identified as; Paidsa Kahar, 7 years old, Said Abas, 17 years old, Kagi Sapia Simpal, 38 years old and Abdulbayan Tunaji, 29 years old married with one child. Paidsa and Abdulbayan were brought to Cotabato Regional Medical Center in Cotabato City for medical treatment. He already underwent surgical operation; a piece of metal believed to be from the 105 howitzer shrapnel was taken out from his wound at his left delumbar area which entered into his intestine and kidney. Paidsa sustained a wound at her left anterior thigh existing entry post. Kagi Sapia Simpal sustained a shrapnel wound at her left shoulder and left arm. While, Said was not brought to the hospital because he was not seriously hurt and decided to recuperate at their evacuation camp. However, the factsheet did not VERIFY his condition.

TIME features 10-pages of rumblings of Iranians in a People-Power REVOLT against the June 12 election results maintaining hard-liner President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a “phantasmic landslide”. “People have come out because they’ve finally had enough. They’re tired of all the lies that (President) has dished out,” said one marcher. NEWSWEEK on the other hand interviews Lebanon’s election victor pro-Western Alliance led by Saad Hariri against Hizbullah. “Our agenda was purely focused on the Lebanese people, who want their children to have medical care and schools and the security not to have to worry about their children,” Hariri said.

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The Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) nationwide is now accepting applicants for Umrah and Hajj. Every year, at least 3,000 Filipinos perform the hajj, a lifetime dream and a journey of a lifetime for every Muslim. Muslim scholars said

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Business Council (ABC), in coordination with the Office of the Regional Governor, has set the 7th ARMM Business Congress in Marawi

City, Lanao del Sur, on August 4-5 this year. Themed "Maximizing Investment Gains to Propel Economic Development in ARMM,” the Congress serves as a door for investment and business opportunities to local and foreign industries amidst the global economic recession. “Despite news of economic crisis, we in the ARMM are safely and continually doing our businesses. The region’s business climate is getting better and making revenue better. We are hopeful that this congress would further entice investments into the region,” Datu Haron U. Bandila, chair of ABC and president of Maguindanao Chamber of Commerce and Industry said (dot-ph). *** Behind the ABS-CBN’s AKO ANG SIMULA campaign was a sub-sector of young people advocating YOUTH VOTE. Tania Hamada of Alliance of Young Public Servants relays the nationwide campaign for voter’s literacy on asking presidentiables on their stand on the Millenium Development Goals (MDG – infant mortality, education, poverty ) to include their PEACE AGENDA. The program will be in the form of STUDENTS acting as if they were PRESIDENTIABLES and debating each other on the MDG issues. Another project activity includes the innovative website www.youthvotephilippines.com uploads all googleable information about the ELEVEN wanna-be-presidents . In the coming months, the provincial candidates will also have their platform as the campaign goes regional. Project proponent YouthVotePhilippines is a consolidated force of progressive, reform-minded youth groups and organizations working toward voters' education and empowerment. It aims to develop online and on-the-ground programs and events that will give young Filipinos the power of the vote and a clear voice for their collective aspirations.

Its four-point program agenda consists of: (1) voters' registration; (2) on-theground voters' education; (3) an online portal for comprehensive candidate information; and (4) the development of a youth agenda for policy-making and action. *** NEWSWEEK features former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert’s reign in reining in Israeli settlements in Palestine in the light of Obama’s statements in Cairo University. Obama warned that ongoing construction undermined the peace process and by implication US interests. “It is time for settlements to stop,” Obama said. *** The Japanese government announced that is granting 192.97 million for the construction of TWO infrastructure projects and for the purchase of heavy equipment for use in the opening of roads in the region. A huge sum of the financial aid package will go to the construction of JapanARMM Friendship Hall and Training Center amounting to P34.6 million while P158.37 million will be allotted to acquire new heavy equipment to improve ARMM’s road network, Sobashima said (Bulletin). *** The “new” Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines will hold its first Shareholders’ Meeting in Makati City this June 24 after Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) acquired 90 % of its shares last June 2009. *** Doesn’t WOLVERINE’s Hugh Jackman’s thorny hands remind you of the pangalay hands of lady dancers in Sulu?