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On Sep 22, 2013, at 9:37 PM, Helen Mendoza <helenmendoza68@yahoo.com> wrote:

I think I already sign your statement as this request was sent a few times. Look over your list and look for my name. If my name is not in your list, then you may sign ion my name. Thanks, Helen N. Mendoza
From: Billah Islam <billahislam@gmail.com> To: stopthewar.philippines@lists.riseup.net; IID - Manila <iid.manila@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, September 22, 2013 10:49 AM Subject: Re: [stopthewar.philippines] URGENT SIGN-ON CALLING FOR HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE IN ZAMBOANGA CITY

Please include BILLAH ISLAM COMMUNITY ORGANIZING FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT, INC. Thank you very much! MIKHAIL ABDUL AZIZ P. ABRERA Director - Policy, Research & Advocacy Program On Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 9:17 AM, IID - Manila <iid.manila@gmail.com> wrote: Dear friends, we would like to request for your support to the statement (below) calling for the immediate ceasefire and dialogue in Zamboanga City, Philippines. Please sign up and help circulate. Thank you very much! Mindanao PeaceWeavers (MPW) - Secretariat c/o Initiatives for Int'l Dialogue (IID) (+63)09177247579 ; Email: lyndeeprieto@yahoo.com; Gus Miclat (+63) 09177013099 ; Fr.Angel Calvo (+63)09177102926 Dr. Grace Rebollos (+63)09177102558 ================================================== DECLARE A HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE IN ZAMBOANGA CITY, NOW! A Petition Campaign in Support of Dialogue, Humanitarian Action and Ceasefire
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED PEACE ADVOCATES, CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS, FERVENTLY APPEAL IN CALLING FOR A DIALOGUE and AN IMMEDIATE DECLARATION OF A HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE in the conflict-affected barangays in Zamboanga City to address the current standoff that started on September 9, 2013.

Specifically, we urge H.E. Benigno Simeon Aquino III, MNLF Chair Prof. Nur Misuari, Mayor Isabelle Climaco, Sec. Teresita Deles, and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to heed the following calls: 1. We call for an immediate stop to the firefight and a prompt and orderly redeployment of force both the MNLF and the AFP to address the alarming evacuee situation;

2. We call on both parties to immediately delineate a humanitarian corridor where civilians and injured combatants can be safely assisted with their humanitarian needs; Page 1 of 4

3. Generate public support towards broad humanitarian action by allowing full access and the entry of humanitarian groups to complement existing efforts of the local government, DSWD, and civil society in Zamboanga City; 4. We call on both parties to seek dialogue and allow for sufficient space for peaceful negotiations to take place; 5. We strongly recommend that those who are responsible for the deaths, destruction of properties and other human rights violations be held fully accountable; 6. We appeal to the Philippine Government to clarify its policy and popularize further any developments with regards to the fate of the MNLF peace process; 7. We call on the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to help in resolving this issue, sustaining the role they have long-fulfilled in ensuring the hopes for peace in Mindanao. 8. Lastly, we call on all our peoples, civil society including the media to remain calm, objective and reasonable while we continue to serve and offer our knowledge in preventing the escalation of this conflict as we guard the gains of the overall peace process in Mindanao. We hope and pray that this matter is resolved quickly, justly and peaceably, and that equanimity prevails in the restoration of peace and order in Zamboanga City and its surrounds.

Declare a Zamboanga City-wide ceasefire now! Spare the civilians from armed hostilities! No to armed action and militarization in Zamboanga City!
INITIAL SIGNATORIES :

NATIONAL:
1. MINDANAO PEACEWEAVERS (MPW) 2. Agri-Aqua Development Coalition (AADC) 3. Akbayan Partylist 4. Aksyon para sa Kapayapaan at Katarungan (AKKAPKA) 5. Alliance of Progressive Labor - Davao Region 6. Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) 7. Ateneo School of Government -Ateneo de Manila University 8. Balay Rehabilitation Center 9. Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) 10. Center for Agrarian Reform, Empowerment and Transformation, Inc (CARET) 11. Center for Peace -Miriam College 12. Civil Society Organization in Lanao del Norte -Partnership for Peace and Development CO Multiversity 13. Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) 14. Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) 15. GZO Peace Institute 16. Kabataan Consortium, Inc. 17. Kahugpungan-Mindanaw (KAMI) 18. Kalimudan Foundation, Inc. -Marawi City 19. Kameritanan ne Erumanen Menuvu (KEM) 20. Labor Education and Research Network (LEARN) 21. Lumad Mindanaw Peoples Federation 22. Luna Legal Resource Center, Inc. 23. Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies Southern Phils Educational Cooperative Center (MASS-SPECC) 24. Makabayan Pilipinas -Mindanao 25. Mediators Network for Sustainable Peace (MedNet), Inc.

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26. Medical Action Group (MAG) 27. Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies Southern Phils. Educational Cooperative Center ( MASS SPECC) 28. Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE) 29. Mindanao Congress of NGOs and NGIs (MINCON) 30. Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Women Development, Inc (MIPWED) 31. Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) 32. Mindanao Peoples Peace Movement (MPPM) 33. Mindanao Solidarity Network (MSN)Pakigdait, Inc 34. Pambansang Kilusang Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA -MINDANAO) 35. PANDAYAN 36. Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) 37. Partido Lakas Masa (PLM- Mindanao) 38. Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) Pax Christi Institute Peacebuilders Community PhilDHRRA-Mindanao Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) Philippine Rural and Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) PhilSSA-Mindanao SARILAYA SENTRO SIMCARRD INC SUCCEED, INC Sulong CARHRIHL Tambayan Center - Mindanao Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) Timuay Justice and Governance Waging Peace-Philippines GLOBAL /REGIONAL: Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC-SEA) Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC-NEA) Acehnese Civil Society Task Force (ACSTF-Aceh) ALTSEAN - Burma Campaign Committee for Human Rights (CCHR-Thailand) Child Rights Coalition Asia Secretariat Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW-AP) Focus on the Global South (Manila, Bangkok and Delhi) Global Network -Asia Human Rights Working Group (Indonesia) Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC-Nepal) Karen Women Empowerment Group (KWEG -Myanmar/Burma) KKSP Foundation, Educatn & Info Center for Child Rights (Indonesia) National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE-Malaysia) Network for Transformative Social Protection (NTSP-Asia) Nabodhara (Bangladesh) NGO Gender Group (NGO GG - Myanmar/Burma) Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI) Peace and Human Rights Resource Center (Thailand) Peace Boat Peacebuilding Institute (Jakarta) Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan People's Empowerment Foundation(PEF-Thailand) Shwe Gas Movement (SGM-Myanmar/Burma) Thai Volunteer Service Foundation (Thailand) The Life Skills Development Foundation (Thailand)

Women's Initiatives Network for Peace (WIN PEACE - Myanmar/Burma) Women Making Peace ( South Korea) Women's Organizations Network (WON - Myanmar/Burma) World Social Forum (WSF) World without WARs and without Violence

Statement Zamboanga Stand-off September 9, 2013 CALL FOR SOBRIETY, DIALOGUE, NOT ARMED ACTION We, the undersigned civil society groups, express our deepest expressions of concern, prayers and support for the innocent civilians caught in the ongoing crossfire between elements associated with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and government security forces in Zamboanga City that unfolded before us this Monday, September 9. We also likewise extend our deep condolences to the families of the armed actors themselves - the police, military authorities, and MNLF fighters felled during the incident. WE HOPE AND PRAY that this matter is resolved quickly, justly and peaceably, and that equanimity prevails in the restoration of peace and order in Zamboanga City and its surrounds. We express concern and pity for the growing thousands of displaced evacuees now streaming into safe havens in Zamboanga, wherever they can find them. We call on all concerned to avoid knee-jerk reactions that only feed into the distrust and discord we all want to avoid. We encourage all involved to explore dialogue in resolving whatever differences and grievances they may bear. WE ARE SADDENED that such a provocative event happened on the eve of the slated and historic 10day talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This will be the longest ever continuous meeting in the history of these talks and deserves our utmost support. Nevertheless we also expect that there will always be those displeased with the promising progress of these talks who will try to stop or derail such gains for their own aims and ends. We challenge all stakeholders not to be drawn into such diversions. Instead, let us learn from such events and stay our course of peace, strong and resolute in our shared vision of a more united and progressing Bangsamoro benefiting all. WE APPEAL to all involved in making peace work in our beleaguered region to patiently and consistently find ways in establishing structured opportunities towards meaningful inclusion of other stakeholders in the peace process. The ongoing standoff in Zamboanga City between the MNLF and the government forces may indicate imperfections in the peace process, but there are legitimate issues that need to be addressed with a sense of just finality in the seemingly complicated peace process of the MNLF with the government. But we still denounce the very act of resorting to an armed action just to send its message across at the risk of lives, limbs, and security of innocent citizens. WE REMAIN ENCOURAGED that despite this event, both the GPH and the MILF have expressed trust, confidence and support heading into the 40th round of these exploratory talks. This is the spirit that we believe should be engendered not only in the nascent Bangsamoro but through-out the country as well. Let us continue to support dialogue as a primary tool for peace building. Let us not allow the guns to drown out the voices we need to hear, the ones who call for peace. These are the voices that truly speak for us, driving our singular struggle, quest and vision for true and lasting peace in Mindanao. ####
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IID is an advocacy and solidarity institution promoting peace, conflict prevention, democratization and right to selfdetermination in Southeast Asia. Our focus areas include Mindanao, Burma, Timor-Leste, South Thailand, Aceh and West Papua.