Tausug book on IHL-Islamic Shariah convergence launched

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS The book “Pana’ta: Sara Parmanusiyaan Liyubangsa Ha Islam” (Introduction to International Humanitarian Law in Islam) that spells out the people’s rights during times of conflict, which is written in Tausug and jointly produced by the International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Mindanao State University-Sulu, is now available for free to ICRC partner schools in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu while its electronic copy can be downloaded from the ICRC website, after it is officially launched in Zamboanga City on Feb. 22. INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE RED CROSS PHOTO

DAVAO CITY—A 76-page book originally written in Arabic and introduces readers to the convergences between the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Islamic Shariah is now available in Tausug, a major language spoken in the Sulu archipelago and Zamboanga City, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced.

ICRC, which partnered with the Mindanao State University-Sulu for the translation into Tausug, launched the book, “Pana’ta: Sara Parmanusiyaan Liyubangsa Ha Islam (Introduction to International Humanitarian Law in Islam)” in Zamboanga on Feb. 22.

“By translating this important Arabic reference work into Tausug, we hope that there will be greater discourse surrounding IHL and Islamic law among Tausug speakers,” said Boris Michel, the ICRC’s head of delegation in the Philippines.

“We aim to empower and inform Filipinos about how they can be protected during times of conflict,” he added.

Tausug is one of the major languages spoken by Muslim ethnic groups in Mindanao.

Protect people

The book is the third local translation released by ICRC to promote awareness of the IHL and its convergences with Islamic law. The book’s translation into Maguindanaoan and Maranao was released in 2021, while that in Yakan, primarily spoken in Basilan province, was set for later this year.

The IHL, also known as the rules of war, aims to protect people from the devastating effects of armed conflict, by placing restrictions on the parties to a conflict regarding the means and methods of warfare used. It also protects people who are not, or are no longer, participating in hostilities, among others.

According to ICRC, “Pana’ta” offers guidance on important topics, such as ways to attend to victims of armed conflict according to Islamic Shariah, the lessons learned from historical battles and the proper treatment of prisoners of war. INQ