MERANAO PEACE DECLARATION

December 31, 2017. More than 500 Meranao traditional leaders including the 16 Royal Houses of Lanao del Sur and dowa polo ago walo (28) babaya ko taritib gathered at the Maria Cristina Hotel, Iligan City for the first “Meranao Sultanate Peace Declaration Summit” hosted by Reconciliatory Initiatives for Development Opportunities Incorporated (RIDO Inc,) and sponsored by Duyog Marawi Inc. The event was also attended by representatives from the Local Government Units in Lanao del Sur, Task Force Bangon Marawi, IDP Leaders, and Civil Society Organizations like Ecoweb.

Sultan Abdul Hamidullah T. Atar of Marawi handing over the Meranao Peace Declaration and also the report of his organization, RIDO, Inc., to ASec. Felix Castro, Jr. and to Most Rev. Edwin de la Peña, MSP, D.D. during the Meranao Sultanate Peace Declaration Summit on 31 December, 2017 at Maria Christina Hotel, Iligan City, Philippines.

The Meranao Peace Declaration was unanimously approved by the traditional leaders who were present in the Assembly. Copies of the declaration were given to ASec. Felix Castro, Jr., Field Office Manager of Task Force Bangon Marawi, and to Most Rev. Edwin de la Peña, MSP, D.D. of the Prelature of St. Mary’s in Marawi,

Below is the full text of the declaration.

MERANAO PEACE DECLARATION

Sa engaran o Allah masalinggagao ago makalimoon. Pangnin ami ko Allah S.W.T. a mabaton sa kababawan ago makamo-ayan so kabnar ami miphantag ko kiyapapas rkami o kabunar ko kiyasagadan o bangsa meranao a ragaor na lalanbo naso kibabaling sa bandar a Marawi a miyaka phamagoyag si-e ko Pitibarangan a darpa sa Ranao na aya samporna iyan naso manga sirangan sa engud a pagilidan a pilipinas.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. We beseech to Allah (S.W.T.), our Lord and Creator that we will prevail and our right will be restored after we were deprived of it due to the upheaval that the Meranao people have experienced specifically those residents of the Islamic City of Marawi that evacuated to different places in the 2 (two) Ranao and Particularly those who evacuated in the neighboring places in peripheral areas of the Philippines.

So somiyagad a mosib ko totolan sa polo a Mindanao na lalambo ko engud a Ranao a mini dakat ko pitibarangan a bitiyara ago totolan a manonompang ko Bangsamoro na dasirandun maka duka taman imanto ko diran dikisabukn ko tendug iran ago panarima iran ko okit a kinggolalanun iran ko taritib ago ijma na managgaolo ko Islam a roombo matatago so okit a ephtagodaya iran sa donya na lalambo sa alongan a mauri.

The history of Mindanao Island specifically in Ranao territory that was written in various talks and historical documents that pertains to the Bangsamoro. They never had respite until this time in pursuing their ideological principle and their belief in the implementation of Ijma and Taritib and ultimately the establishment of Islamic system wherein final success in this world and the hereafter can be achieved.

Madakul dun a mitatayan ko totoplan ko okit a kini phasgawaan o Bangsa Meranao ko miyangalandada ko engud iran poon ko mga Espaniol, so mga Merikano, so manga apon, na taman ko 1972 a Martial Law a miya adunon so Marawi upraising na taman dun imanto na phuka-and so ragaor sabap ko dikaphaka psinabuta o goberno agoso dimamayandugan ko kabnar o mga Muslim sa Mindanao sabap sa disiran mirurupung ago mititingki ko okit a kaphagintao iran.

There were plenty of historical records that can attest to the Meranao people had fought bravely against the colonial power such as Spain, America, and Japanese. In October 1972, after a month of martial law declaration, Marawi uprising took place and until now the problem still persists because the central government and the liberation forces that fought for the rights of the Meranao people, have ever understood each other.

So mga loks ami na piyagalad iran so okit a kiyapagintao iran nggolalan ko taritib ago ijma a indaorog ko agama iran a Islam and maaadn so kathakna o mokarna na aya samporna iyan na makambilangatao so pagtao ago makapangongonotan siran ko kitab karon matatago so pangimbunar iran a phaka bolong ko paniakit a matatago ko kaphagingud ago maadun so mapia kandodolona.

Our forebears have protected their way of life through Ijma and Taritib of which they used the same in promoting Islam to create a stable living condition and ultimately a disciplined society and they may exert effort for the law wherein they believe that a remedy for societal ills and for the establishment of a good societal relations.

So miyanggolaola sa bandar a Marawi ko May 23, 2017 na miyaka thalogudam so bangsa Meranao ko kobabaling sa Marawi agoso pud a engud a maka aalibut sa engud a ranao agoso kiya thalokonan iran a manga bangsa iran na samporna ko engud a ranao agoso kiya thalokonan iran a manga bangsa iran samporna ko engud a pilipinas. Tanto dn a mala a miya osaron a tamok, rogo ago sandiyata. Ini bagak o kiya phasgawa o mga kalombayan a pumbutowan sa Maute-ISIS agoso manga tantara o goberno so rata a ginawa ko kiyabinasa o manga tamok iran, kiyapaka mblablag o pamilya iran, kiyawafat o sabaad kiran a dadn mathakdir naaya samporna iyan na miya and so lut ko mapiya a dikaphakandolona o Meranao agoso salakao ron a phagingud a engud a Marawi.

The armed conflict in the city of Marawi on May 23, 2017 had severely affected the Meranao people that reside in the city and those living in Ranao territory and to the people wherein they found safe haven. It likewise affected the places in the Philippines wherein Meranao evacuees temporarily stayed. Huge amount of money, blood and armaments were used. The conflict between the Maute-Islamic State (IS) militants and the forces of the government has hurt them for their family members died and have not given justice and it caused division between the Meranao people and those others that reside in Marawi.

Sabap roo na imanto a masa a kalilimod o langowan a phagingud sa dowa ranao a matatagoon so paratiyaya, sambatan na aya samporna iyan na maka sosolot sa bolawan datomanong a minithanan o manga loks tano a manga grar datar o manga Sulutan, Radiamoda, Cabugatan, Sangkopan agoso pud a manga grar datar o manga Bae a Labi agoso manga Bae na aya dn a kiyatimoan rukami a lalag ago pamikiran a isampay ko goberno sa engud a pilipinas na o titho-tito a miyaka Maradika so engud a Marawi ko manga kalombayan a ISIS ko kiyawafat ago kiyada iran sa Marawi na mathakdir so manga kabnar o miyamagoyag sa engud a dowa Ranao a kaphapasang sa disiran mapokas ko manga kabunar iran a miya aloy ko phangitaban sa pilipinas agoso piyagayonan a kitab sa donya.

Thus, this day of gathering of those people living in the 2 (two) Ranao’s who are believers aand have the fforts for their people particularly those with royal titles which endowed on them by our forebears such as the titles of Sultan, Rajamuda, Cabugatan, and Sangcopan and other titles of our forefathers such as the Bae a Labi and other Baes have unified our stand and minds that we will convey to the government of the Philippines if Marawi City is liberated from the ISIS fighters that the rights of the civilian victims of war in the 2 (two) Ranao’s should be heard and their rights under the Philippine and International laws should be respected.

Giyangkae a phagaloin a tendug na ogop ko kaphaka moayan o kalilintad ko manga darpa ami orian o masimpit a kiyasagadan ami sa phangnin ami ko Allah a kasabotan angkae a tendug ami ko opisina a TASK FORCE BANGON MARAWI na aya phupunudan iyan na so pitibarangan a opisina ko goberno a pilipinas a phungira-giray ko kamapiyaan o pagtao sa bandar a Marawi a miyaka phagoyagoyag ko pitibarangan a engud sa pilipinas na lalambo ko ground zero na aya samporna iyan naso mga Meranao a cabinet secretaries a kapapantagan na mananggaolo ko phagamaan sa engud a Pilipinas asi President Rodrigo Roa Duterte ko katatarimaanian pud ko bangsanian naso Meranao.

The said stand is a help for the creation of a peace in our places after our harrowing experience on war and we pray to Allah that our stand will be understood by the TASK FORCE BANGON MARAWI (TFBM) and those department and agencies that will work for the welfare and development of those living in the city of Marawi especially those staying in ground zero have evacuated in different places of the Philippines. We likewise bring this stand to those Meranao leaders who are members of the Cabinet Secretaries of present administration under the leadership under the leadership President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who claimed that he has a Meranao blood.

Paganay a tendug ago pangni ami na isa-a ka kubolongi ko rata a ginawa a miya adn rukami na paka moayanun o goberno so kitab a mipalad rukami so manga lupa ami sa daduna malubaton ko makasosolud ko Military land reservation a phuka-aloy. sa taros a maka kasoy kami ko mga darpa ami sa ground zero sa magaan sa kapipiya ginawa na aya mala na so kitab a reparation na makamoayan and kabayadi so manga walay ago tamok ami a miyanga bibinasa naaya samporna iyan na dimadampat so engud ami a Marawi sabap sa diyan e mababaloy a kalimudan o bangsa Meranao, ron pun miyatha-ong so agamami, so bangsami agoron pun miyambiyat so adat ago dadabiayatan ami.

Our first stand and prayer that one of the remedies for our grievances is the creation of law that our land be given back to us without the issue of military land reservation. We want the immediate return of our people in the ground zero and the law on reparation be implemented to pay our destroyed houses and lost properties. Our homes should not be flattened to the ground for that is the place where our people have converged, where our Islamic faith is established and where our traditional value systems have been molded.

Ikadowa na katagowan sa sangan so mga sulutan, ulama agu so manga Imam a mathatagoon so siyap agu panagontaman ko kaphaka moayan o kalilintad. So Task Force Bangon Marawi na patot a matago iran sa ginawa so kalbihan o manga Datu agoso manga Ulama sii ko kipukowatun iran ko kamapiyaan a thagoon sa Marawi and maadn so sangan iran ko kaphagingud na aya samporna iyan na so kaogopi kiran kunaba bo so engud a Marawi ka pudon pun so manga Datu agu Ulama a matatago ko Pat a Pangamponga Ranao. So kaompiyae ko manga masjid agoso manga madrasami a miyanga guguba sabap ko kiya and o kiyatidawa na tanto rukami a mala e kipantag na aya mala na didun masalin so ngaran o Islamic City of Marawi.

Secondly, we want the sultans, ulama and imams who are concerned and have the efforts for their people have given a role for establishment of peace. The TFBM should have given primacy for the traditional leaders and ulama for their role for the development that should be implemented in Marawi City so that their societal role will be recognized and they can also extend assistance to those living within the four confederation of Lanao. We should also want to repair of our damaged masjid and madrasahs due to the conflict and we also want that the name Islamic City of Marawi will not be replaced.

Ikatlo naso langon a kiyabinasaan a mababaling sa ground zero na phangnin ami ko goberno a kabugan siran sa kaoyagan omani mbangonanon sa walay a okit a dirandi kaphagoyagoyag. Sii ko masa a kiya togalin ko pud a engud sabap ko kiya adn o kiyatidawa sa Marawi na daa kiya awidan iran ko manga tamok iran. Aya mala na so manga pud a engud a miyada so kauyagan iran sabap ko miyanggolaola sa Marawi na kaogopan sa gasto so manga wata ami a dimamagiskuwela a makapopon sa ground zero na aya phupunudan iyan na so manga wata a ilo a minibagak o manga loks iran sabap ko kiyawafat iran ko miyanggolaola sa Marawi.

Thirdly, every family staying at the ground zero should be given assistance by the government for their livelihood activities. During the time they left Marawi City due to the conflict and look for place to stay on the other safer place, they have never brought things for themselves. Those living in other places who have also lost their properties due to the conflict be given assistance by the government. Their children who are studying should be given educational assistance and scholarship. The orphaned children whose parents died during the conflict be accorded necessary assistance.

Ikapat a tendug ago pangni ami sa goberno a Pilipinas na maadn so third party a phaka ogop ko phamagitong ko miyanga bibinasa a walay ago tamok sa engud a Marawi na aya mala na maylay iran agu masiyap iran so langon a psolod a kamapiyaan sa engud a Marawi na aya samporna iyan na maka ogop siran tomimo ko manga ngaran o titho-tito a miyanga wawafat sa Marawi a dipud ko opakat a ISIS and siran miphaginontolan o goberno nggolalan ko ogop ago tabang ko pamilya a mini bagak iran.

Fourth stand and request to the government of the Philippines, a third party be created to assess and report the damaged houses and properties in Marawi City and validly count the number of dead people in the city not included in ISIS group so that the government can give justice to their death in the assistance to their family.

Ikalima a tendug ami na masiyap ago kaogopan so kapapantagan a kibabaling ko manga temporary shelters agosa evacuation centers na lalambo na somanga tonganay ami a miyamagoyag a kisasakit sa masa imanto. Phangnin ami ko Allah S.W.T. a masalinggagao agu makalimoon a omananiyan so matatago a phanagontaman ko manga datu ami a matatago ko goberno a pilipinas na aya samporna iyan na maka phagayonayon siran sa miphaginontolan o goberno a Pilipinas so miyamagoyag sa taros a mikowat ago matarima angkae pangni ami. Piyagayonan angkae a pamikiran ago pangni ami nggolalan ko dakat a matatago sangkae a sorat ko masa a Meranao Sultanate Peace Declaration Summit ko masa a December 31, 2017 sa Maria Christina Hotel, Iligan City, Philippines.

Fifth, the evacuees staying at the temporary shelters and evacuation centers should be given assistance especially those who are sick. We pray to Allah (S.W.T.), Most Merciful and Most Gracious that He will increase the efforts of leaders who are in the government of the Philippines and grant them unity to give justice to the evacuees and action be taken as well as our prayer be granted. We unanimously agreed this stand and request as written in this position paper during the holding of Meranao Sultanate Peace Declaration Summit on 31 December, 2017 at Maria Christina Hotel, Iligan City, Philippines.

Pangni a Poon ko manga Sulutan, Datu ago manga Bae:

The petition letter from Sultans, Datus and Baes:

[DISCLAIMER: Part of the mission of Duyog Marawi is to accompany and to be a medium in which the voice of the Internally Displaced Persons and their leaders, especially of the Meranaw Traditional leaders could be heard.  The views and declarations expressed in this document/ article are those of the Meranaw Traditional leaders and of the document’s signatories and does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Duyog Marawi.]