#PeaceNaTa Campaign Commemorates Mamasapano Incident
Photo by Jamil Faisal Saro Adiong
The #PeaceNaTa Campaign, spearheaded by Jamil Faisal Saro Adiong, a political science student of University of San Carlos conducted a friendly dialogue on Jan. 25, 2016 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Handuraw Pizza’s Mango Avenue branch in commemoration of the first anniversary of the Mamasapano incident.
The dialogue was participated in by different groups, namely the Federation of Muslim Students Associations, Josenian Political Science Society, Carolinian Political Science Society, Dakila, Islamic Propagation Society of Cebu Incorporated, Akbayan! Youth – Cebu, Akbayan! Youth – Dumaguete, Tsinelas Leaders Cebu, Youth for Sustainable Change and Akbayan! Youth – UP.
Before the event officially began, a moment of silence was offered to remember the lives lost in the Mamasapano. Each representative was given the chance to share their insights and feelings towards the incident. Topics such as the rise of Islamophobia and terrorism were discussed by the group and how stereotyping, tagging and labelling can affect religion.
“Hindi na man religion ang pinagaawayan nila. It is politics, power and authority. At the end of the day yun ang pinag-aawayan nila and they only want to be superior over the other. I don’t think that it is a matter of religion,” declared Adiong.
The group was also able to tackle the issue of media biases and how media only chooses to display one side of the story. “Why are people calling only for the justice for the SAF44? Why can’t they call justice for all these 67 Filipinos?” added Adiong.
“I can’t blame Christians who are exposed to that culture in saying that Muslims are traitors. It is because of exposure, and it is the responsibility of the media as well,” said a representative from Akbayan! Youth – Dumaguete.
“Most of the Filipinos right now are just relying on media for information,” Said a representative of Josenian Political Science Society.
The friendly dialogue ended with a statement that “No one should be deprived of life regardless of ethnicity, regardless of culture, and regardless of faith. At the end of the day, we are all but one Filipino nation.”
