SULU Solidarity Mission!

A Peace and Solidarity Mission

March 28-30, 2005

 MAIN CONVENOR     :  Mindanao Peace Weavers (MPW)

 HOSTING GROUPS   : Sulu Civel Society Assembly (SCSA), Concerned Citizens of Sulu (CCS0), Bangsamoro  Woman  Solidarity  Forum  ( BWSF), NDU  Jolo Peace Center

OBJECTIVES  :       

1. to   study   and   assess   the   current   armed   conflict   in Sulu and draw out recommendations  for  possible de-escalation  of  violence and  ceasefire;

2. to determine the situation and needs of the evacuees;

3. to assess the rights situation in Sulu and recommend effective measures for human and rights protection and accountability;

The SULU   Solidarity Mission  is an independent, citizen-led investigative body convened by the Mindanao PeaceWeavers  (MPW)  in fulfilling its mandate to consistently monitor the implementation of all peace Agreement through its grassroots monitoring mechanism, the Bantay Ceasefire (Ceasefire Watch).  It will Conduct a fact-finding mission in Jolo to investigate the human rights violations and assess the plight and needs of the civilians displaced (IDPs). This will also concretize civil society’s parallel process to government’s plan to investigate the armed violence. 

The framework of the investigative mission is anchored on human Rights, Human Security and Solidarity . It specifically rest on the principles of objective, transparency, peoples’ participation in conflict prevention , and adherence to the peace process. The Sulu Solidarity Mission believes in the universal tenets of human rights, justice and freedom, hence the genuine enforcement of the rule of law is one specific area of concern of mission. 

The mission  is a people’s probe and it won’t have all the elements of a criminal investigation nor will it be bounded by judicial procedures. It delimits itself to gathering facts and circumstances and coming up with analysis out from these available date. 

Sulu Solidarity Mission will maximize all documents and avenues for date gathering (ie interviews with key informant, oral testimonies, focus group discussions, affidavits, sworn statements, secondary date material, community visits and validation of data) from which mission findings and recommendations are basically anchored upon. All individuals, groups and parties invited to contribute testimonial or documentary evidence during the mission will afforded with all the rights and treated with respect and decorum.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS:

The SULU Solidarity Mission will  be convened  by the Mindanao peace Weavers (MPW), with the following hosting groups  ; Sulu Civil Society Assembly (SCSA), Concerned Citizens of Sulu (CCS), Bangsamoro  Women Solidarity forum (BWSF) AND Jolo Peace Center. Other  participating group will be Batay Ceasefire – central Mindanao, international delegates. Humanitarian groups, human right group, other local NGOs based in Jolo, etc. 

Sulu Solidarity Mission is a15-member team who be on-board in the entire process of the Mission to conduct data gathering, processing and prensentation of findings to mandated bodies to immediately respond to the crisis in Sulu.

MECHANICS AND ACTIVITIES:

Actual Mission is a 3-day activity around identified area in Jolo but other mechanics will involve the following :

The Sulu Solidarity  Mission is accountable to the Convenors of the Mindanao Peace Weavers (MPW). And its official report and statements will be made in public through MPW and its partner networks.   Formal report  of  the mission will be distributed\ presented to the following individuals\ groups/ agencies: