| DAR-STARCM
projects foster Christian-Muslim Unity EU commits more funds for peace in Mindanao |
Kidapawan City- Where the sounds of guns and despair prevail not long ago, now peace and active participation among Muslims and Christians reign. Chairman Sampadya Palti-of barangay Tumbras, Midsayap, Cotabato, Claims the charge of situation in his place was paved by the implementation of Php 2.9 million projects from the European Union (EU) - funded special project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Support to Agrarian Reform Communities in Central Mindanao (STARCM). Mr. Modesto dela Cruzm, Board Member of Tumbras Samahang Nayon Integrated Cooperaticve (TUSANICO) said, with STARCM projects, Muslim residents are now attending Barangay assemblies and meetings, and participate actively in community activities. Muslim members of cooperative have increased and become dominant number he added. Other positive developments with the imlementation of STARCM projects, include marked increase of Muslim pupils in the Barangay Elementary School, and a stop to skirmishes between the MILF and the AFP, Chairman Palti attested. Projects in Tumbras included cultivation machineries, Barangay hall building and fishing equipment for 85 muslim residents. The fishing equipment are the "banca (canoe), " pokot" (fish net) and "tarik" (fish pen). Recipients of fishing equipment claimed they earn average Php200.00 per day since it was provided to them in February 7, 2003. They added. this is the first project they received from the government which they thought has abandoned them long ago. That previous resentment with the government was compounded when thier bancas were decimated by bombs during the recent offensives of the AFP against the MILF, which included also Tumbras. Year round, these fisherfolks,a nd become farmers during summer, catch fish in the adjacent Liguasan Marsh. But in the rainy months of July to October every year, they usually transfer fish in their high-deep flooded farm-fields. In Barangay Mapantig, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, Cooperative Chairman Efren Arnaiz says his Muslim members, 5o% of the total, are doubly active in the activities of the organization and in the community after the release of 60 heads of goats and the start of construction on a concrete bridge. His cooperative is the recipient of the goat project. The bridge will span the river cutting across the Barangay. There two projects cost Php 5.55 Million. Chairman Arnaiz,added, his coop plans to disperse calves from their herd of goats to non-members, particularly Muslim, residents of Mapantig. He guessed, this plan could have build hopes and encourage the muslims to integrate and become partners in community peace and progress. Muslim members of this cooperative, the Mapantig Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) Cooperative (MAPARBEMCO) are beneficiaries under CARP of the 556 has. Palm Oil Plantation area and productive standing crop when distributed by DAR in january 2002. The coop now manages the plantation and employs many of its 297 members, all CARP beneficiaries. The palm oil plantation was owned by Kenram Philippines, Inc. (KPI). Another 1,003 has. were distributed to 414 former workers of KPI in adjacent barangays of Kenram. Barangay Tumbras, Kenram and Mapantig (KM) are declared Agrarian Reform Communites (ARC) by the DAR. Being an ARC, they are focus of development interventions by the Department, which are funded by foreign grants and bilateral loans. STARCM funds come rom European Union grant with counterparts form the government and the project beneficiaries. Happy with the impact of the EU-supported projects, EU Ambassador Jan de Kok, committed another 12 million Euro for Mindanao once the peace agreement between the MILF and the government is signed. He announced this during a visit in 6 STARCM projects areas in the provinces of Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat from April 12 to 14, 2004. (source: Mindanao News Star, by Leonard S. Legard, IDS) |
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