‘Displaced Muslims at home in Cebu’

Leaders of the Muslim community in Cebu and Central Visayas expressed their gratitude for allowing them to live in the area, including those displaced by the 2000 all-out war in Mindanao.

“Cebu and the Visayas are playing host to the internally displaced Moros from Mindanao and we are very happy about it,” said Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan, chairman of the Bangsamoro Development Authority.

A partnership forum initiated by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF-7) was held yesterday at the Grand Convention Center to discuss the benefits of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB).

Based on the commission’s records there are 122,504 Muslims in Central Visayas and 60,000 of them are in Cebu.

The agreement was between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) last October.

Acting NCMF-7 Regional Director Malo Manonggiring said the Mindanao conflict severely restricted employment opportunities to Muslims.

“The signing of the agreement is a breakthrough to end the conflict. This would also give our brothers the access to livelihood and social economic development,” Manonggiring said.

A Bangsamoro region will be set up to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) based on the agreement.

The NCMF is lobbying for the support and inclusion of the Muslim community to the task force on Bangsamoro Development.

“The Bangsamoro people are at the crossroads of finding a just and lasting peace in Mindanao. This is not just for us (Muslim community), this is for everybody,” Dr. Safrullah Dipatuan said. Correspondent Joy Cherry Quito