The Mindanaons for Civil Liberties (M4CL) is a broad coalition of civil society organizations in Mindanao who held a Human Rights Summit last 25-26 February 2018 in Davao City. A few of our coordination meetings were held at the Coffee for Peace Cafe.
Many of our partners from among the Indigenous Peoples (IP) in the field are struggling to keep their ancestral lands from the encroachment of big, powerful corporations. The corporations are mostly supported by the government.
Our IP partners are now crying against abuses and human rights violations by both state and non-state armed groups. Our community feels we have to stand with our partners in these times of vulnerability and threat to their human rights and security. Here’s how we are expressing our solidarity with our field partners:
First, we’re helping in the documentation of the alleged atrocities by both the state security sector and non-state armed groups against civilians.
Second, we help organize a broad coalition of civil society networks working for justice, security, and human rights to uphold civil liberties.
Third, we accompany those affected by war and violence to the halls of power in Manila so that the values of justice, peace, and reconciliation would be heard in the process of legislation and policy-making.
In the midst of these conflicts, we continue to do the organization of peace and reconciliation communities on the ground — from Northern Luzon, to the Eastern and Western Visayas, to Southern Mindanao. Please continue to pray for the safety of our local peace and reconciliation leaders from the sufferings caused by all who use violence to advance their cause.
