HISTORIC MID-SEA PACT PUTS END TO SULU CLAN WARS

By Ma. Teresa Yosores

SULU, Philippines – Seven feuding clans, hundreds of lives lost in hostilities and blood sheds for many decades, all in one island in Sulu that smelled of dead people for sometime, according to some people who survived a “chaotic world”.

A resolution, known as the Pacific Settlement of Conflict, ended it all. It finally restored peace between the feuding clans – the Bahara, Jul, Allani, Ismula, Ismael, Alih and Adjail – and in Pata Island.

As they alighted the navy vessel, BRP General Mariano Alvarez (PS38), where they ended their disputes last Tuesday, they came out with renewed perspective in life.The success in the reconciliation efforts are being attributed to the Asia Foundation, BAPESDA, Tulung Lupah Suh, SMFI-Sulu and the Naval Forces Western Mindanao.

The Asia Foundation’s commitment is to achieve reforms and improve community relations in war-torn areas and to support the call for peace and vision of transformation.

To make the foundation’s goal possible in Pata Island, they tapped the military to facilitate and witness the signing of a peace covenant and, thus, avoided obstructions for the realization of the peace settlement.

The Philippine Navy is one of the supporters which opened its doors to the invitation of the foundation and the local populace. Pata Island is one of the Areas of Responsibility (AOR) of Naval Forces Western Mindanao.

The leaders of each clan, the peace negotiators, and the naval military officers signed on the covenant as a symbol of the end of decades-long bloody conflicts.

The Naval Forces was pleased with the settlement of the families’ disputes. A beginning of a peaceful transformation in Sulu has been finally realized which was what the whole Filipino nation had been longing to see.

Rear Admiral Armando Guzman, the commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, encouraged the reconciled families to be sincere in their commitment to finally end their conflicts. He even addressed the participants as “peace lovers”.

Guzman also recalled his memories when he personally witnessed clan conflicts in Sulu, particularly in Pata Island, as a young naval officer aboard ship. As he is about to close his military career next year, he expressed relief and gratitude that the conflicts had already come to positive developments.

The Philippine Navy received accolades from the reconciled parties and negotiators for its support in such a historic event. (PNA)