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Ruffy Magbanua /

NOW on its third month of fighting, the reign of terror in Marawi continues unabated and the birth of local extremism, spawned by the Isis-inspired Maute Group, has sent chilling effects to this once serene and peaceful city widely known as a cradle of Islam faith.

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A civil society group organized by Maranao professionals has called on the government to move the Mindanao peace process forward as the platform of goodwill for  building  institutions that can address the root causes of terror and violence.

Further, the group has called on their religious leaders to build a unified stand and action against all forms of terrorism and extremism.

Likewise, business and community leaders were urged to act together by condemning this global scourge that has disturbed the peace, displaced thousands of families, killed innocent civilians, created economic havoc beyond repair and more importantly destroyed the very fiber of human life.

It said the violence in Marawi was an assault against Islam as a religion of peace. I say “amen.”

The voice of reason must be heard and respect for the dignity of every Maranao.

Further, the greater majority must prevail over few loud voices who threaten to destroy humanity and the  way of life of the Maranaos.

Violence and extremism are not only the military and law enforcement issues at hand. These are driven among others by weak and failed governance.

The group also calls on the political leaders to seriously work towards making the  local government of Marawi  transparent, responsive and relevant to the people.

For now, local discussions for the rehabilitation of Marawi have started as the government attempts to put together a comprehensive, multi-year plan to rebuild and rehabilitate the city.

In a  recent round table discussion,   volunteers representing various civil society groups urged the government to immediately launch relevant clusters of agencies involved in  the rebuilding effort of Marawi.

These relevant clusters shall act as actors to make Bangon Marawi rehabilitation possible and successful.

As the final assault on the remaining terrorists now holed up in one area at the war zone gets fired up, the next immediate step of the rehabilitation work must immediately be put in place to ensure good transition in the response and recovery phase.

Along this line, the Department of Social Welfare and Development is challenged to  implement  a tracking system for the IDPs by going digital. This would mean the distribution of wristbands or ballers which would link to their profile. This way each displaced person could be tracked for future distribution of goods.

The government also needs the help of the World Health Organization’s emergency medical team to handle the influx of medical needs upon the return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

A tent hospital facility could temporarily be set up while the hospitals in the city will be rehabilitated and rebuilt.

The government should also engage the IDPs in a cash for work program in order “to infuse cash into the economy.”

Economic activities including agricultural, industrial, and technical programming can then be expanded in the city, and that engagement with the private sector on the facilitation of long term activities could also be done as soon as possible.

These tasks could be a tall order although not too difficult to achieve. What it takes perhaps is a unified effort to make a difference in the lives of the Maranaos.

E-mail: ruffy44_ph2000@yahoo.com

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TRAILBLAZER. Established in 1989, Mindanao Gold Star Daily aimed set ablaze a new meaning and flame to the local newspaper industry. Throughout the years it continued its focus and interest in the rural areas and pioneered the growth of community journalism.