Marawi Conflict Watch launched in Iligan City
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Marawi locals launched on Wednesday a group that will be tasked to monitor the rehabilitation and reconstruction of their war-ravaged city, and help prevent any conflict that may arise out of the process.
In a meeting in Iligan City, at least 100 stakeholders said the Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW) will “continuously engage the government, its private sector partners, aid agencies, and other civil society organizations to help mitigate violent conflict that may result from the reconstruction process.”
MRCW is composed of the families and clans affected by the conflict in Marawi.
Among those present at the launching program were representatives from the Ulama group, Sultans’ league, academe, Marawi administration, non-government organization, among others.
In a statement, Sultan Nasser D. Sampaco, member of the MRCW and chairman of the Marawi Sultanate League, said that the group intends to harness the people’s “deep understanding of the local context and the web of formal and informal institutions that govern the city” to ensure that the rebuilding process is “people-centered, informed by best practices, and conflictsensitive.”
He said, meaningful local participation will not only foster trust and help prevent violent conflict, it will also nuance and sharpen government responses to ensure positive outcomes.
Nikki de la Rosa, country manager of peacebuilding organization International Alert Philippines, shared that the MRCW was born out of a series of dialogues that International Alert conducted with clan members together with the World Bank and the TFBM in April and July.
“The clan consultations provided an opportunity for people to voice out their aspirations and anxieties about the reconstruction process and for their opinions to be heard, understood, and accepted, she said.
Thus saying that the people had clamored for this momentum of engagement to be sustained in a feedback loop among stakeholders,” she stated.
She shared that during the consultations, the people identified urgent issues and potential violent flashpoints that the government may face as it implements its reconstruction and rehabilitation plan for Marawi.
“Among the issues raised are the possibility of revenge killings due to the loss of lives, properties, livelihoods and businesses, land-related conflict that may re-ignite during the period of reoccupation of the main-affected area, push back against government if the amount, allocation and release of reparation and compensation package and the provision of public works and basic services are deemed unjust, and violent extremist tapping into local grievances to expand recruitment, Dela Rosa added.