Monday, August 22, 2005

Violence in Jolo

The discrimination and Animosity in Jolo, Basilan is rampant
People live in fear and hangs on prayers
They live on miracle every day that bullet would stray from their bodies.. Bolos are not the way to die..
Military men (Marines) are assigned to guard and escort religious figures (nuns and priest). Teachers are also a target.

For a place and people that has no voice.. These people are not dirt, their lives.. each of them are important as our own. Their stories need to be told.

A story that an electrician had his head cut off because he was associated with the church.
Nuns offer themselves as shield to our soldiers because they rather die than be brought as sex slaves by their captures in the mountain. Nuns voluntary shield soldier..
The children dwell in the classroom full of bullet holes. They have difficulty learning the use of “was, were, is” English linking verb. What’s the use of knowing perfect English when bullets are flying all over the place.

This happens everyday.. And I thought it happens only in Africa and Brazil base from the movies Hotel Rowanda and City of Gods.

It saddens me that this is happening to us. When one blood is overcome by hatred.

5 years ago I said “when will the killing stop”.. This is what I presented in our Philippine History class. Subject was the killings between our soldiers and muslims.

We need a miracle but more that we need something else. As Christians we need to take off our shoes (animosity, discrimination, prejudice). To open our mind as well as our heart. To be the miracle..

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