Tackling the symptoms and causes of suffering
Our embassy probably holds the record for confusing the most number of people, because the Order is not a country, and it is not in Malta. The Sovereign Order of Malta is one of the most ancient Catholic Religious Orders, and it has always been recognized by nations as an independent subject of international law. The Order’s mission is to defend the faith and serve the poor and the sick. It works in the field of medical and social care and humanitarian aid, in over 120 countries supported by the diplomatic relations it currently has with 105 nations. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Order of Malta and the Philippines.
Malteser International, the Order’s worldwide relief agency, works on the front line in natural disasters and armed conflicts. In the first six months of 2016, Malteser International provided emergency relief for more than 82,000 people – providing them with food, hygiene articles, clothing or blankets; and provided emergency shelters for thousands of refugees and displaced people, as well as those affected by natural disasters. In the same period, the agency was able to give around 85,000 people access to clean drinking water. In the Philippines, the organization has provided P145 million in disaster response, relief and rehabilitation assistance in coordination with over 300 Filipino volunteers.
Earlier this year, the Embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs organized a dialogue for faith-based organizations in the Philippines called “Faith in Humanity.” Our objective was to find ways for different faiths to cooperate in order to protect people in need, and also explore ways in which the positive moral force of religion can be used to mitigate conflict. The diverse number of faiths in the Philippines are rich resources of moral voices – voices that ought to be heeded in a society that is increasingly threatens to become normless, self-centered, and apathetic. Particularly in the case of natural disasters and the effects of climate change – where the poor, regardless of religion, suffer the most. Members of the diplomatic corps as well as representatives of the Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Moslem, Sikh, Hindu, and Baha’l faiths came together to share best practices on empowering local communities and developed a coherent approach between faiths to provide humanitarian aid in the Philippines.
Last August 19th, Malteser International used the celebration of World Humanitarian Day to draw attention to the need for humanitarian aid to be coupled with action to tackle the root causes of crises and conflicts.
“Humanitarian action is at a record level. From its original function as an emergency intervention, it has become part of the normal state of affairs in some parts of the world. If nothing is done to remove the causes of conflict, there is a real danger that this pattern could become an endless cycle,” said Sid Johann Peruvemba, Vice Secretary General of Malteser International. “Humanitarian aid relieves suffering. But in the worst- case scenario, this means it can also be perceived as relieving some of the pressure for political action to end the causes of that suffering. Even though politically everything may be at a standstill, humanitarian aid can still be relied on to temper the worst excesses of a crisis.”
Most conflicts have their roots in social inequality and poor government by corrupt and power-hungry elites. It is therefore essential that as well as providing neutral and impartial aid, humanitarian organizations keep the importance of encouraging social justice high up on their agenda. “We need both humanitarian aid that relieves suffering for people in need as well as development policy that works against inequality and promotes good government,” said Peruvemba. “Strengthening civil society and local actors is one of the most important components of good and future focused aid,” said Peruvemba. “This is one of the foundations of civil crisis prevention, which is an important instrument for avoiding conflicts.” Sensitive planning of aid measures in conflict situations is essential to help prevent them from having unintended negative consequences.
Our great challenge in the Philippines and around the world is to work with each other regardless of political beliefs, and to be strong in the faith that we all hold in common. Only then can we truly tackle the causes of suffering.