Thursday, October 11, 2005

Women PeaceMakers Program

"Opening the Doors for Women
and other Grassroots Peacebuilders in Mindanao"

A conversation with

Mary Ann Arnado of the Philippines

IPJ Theatre

12:30-2:00pm

As the Deputy Director of the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), a regional advocacy institution in the Philippines that promotes south-south solidarity among the peoples of South East Asia, Mary Ann Arnado coordinates the grassroots peacebuilding and peace advocacy program in Mindanao. Mary Ann's mission as a peacemaker in Mindanao is to promote the role and participation of women in the peace process between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In her capacity, Mary Ann organized the successful Bantay Ceasefire monitoring team, worked directly in zones of conflict to educate warring factions on international humanitarian law and human rights, and was appointed by the government peace panel to serve as an official Adviser on ancestral domain. She was also the Secretary-General of the Mindanao People's Caucus, a grassroots network of indigenous peoples (Bangsamoro and Christian settlers) that seeks to strengthen people's participation in the peace process, promote indigenous peacemaking mechanisms, and facilitate dialogue. Mary Ann states getting women their due space at the negotiating table is challenging on personal, cultural, and political levels. She adds that her experience in working with military and government officials suggests they often see negotiations as mere extensions of the battlefield. Mary Ann is looking forward to coming to the IPJ to share her work and stories that are not just about victimization but hope and courage.