|
SULU: Thousands of Muslims are expected to join the two-day peace
caravan in the province of Sulu, Gov. Sakur Tan said on Thursday.
He said the caravan is a collaborative effort of
national government agencies and various nongovernment agencies to
address the immediate health, education and livelihood needs of
communities affected by conflict.
Tan said the caravan would kick off on Friday in
the town of Jolo and would go around Patikul and Kalingalang Caluang
towns where previous clashes between rebels and the military were
reported.
“It is different now. The areas are now a
venue of peace and thousands of people are joining in our effort to
spread peace in the whole of Sulu,” Tan told reporters.
Dubbed as Health, Education, and Livelihood for
Progress (HELP) Humanitarian Caravan, it is a mechanism designed
to address the needs of communities in crisis due to the
prevailing conflict in the area, according to Jesus Dureza, the
Presidential peace adviser.
In the effort to effectively implement the
program for the region, agencies were grouped into four clusters to
identify projects and services, said Tan. The HELP initiative is
also aimed at consulting with the communities on their medium- and
long-term concerns particularly on the livelihood and employment
aspects as well as provide a humanitarian face to the ongoing
conflict in Sulu.
A similar caravan would also be held in Basilan
next week.
-- Al Jacinto
|
