The "BRAVO" Scheme
I would like to share my “motto” with everyone, especially with Mindanaoans who should be caretakers of our own communities. I call it “BRAVO scheme”: Breaking the barriers between different religions and cultures especially between Muslims and Christians, be the Voice of the people of Mindanao and create Opportunities to develop the resources in Mindanao and give the people the kind of life that they deserve. I always say that “Each one of us can make a contribution to peace-building. Quite often we tend to look at the big things and forget that however it seems to be and whatever field we are undertaking, we can make a difference. We can all be peace advocates in our own sphere of influence”.
BRAVO SCHEME - Breaking the barriers between different religions and cultures especially between Muslims and Christians, be the Voice of the people of Mindanao and create Opportunities to develop the resources in Mindanao and give the people the kind of life that they deserve.
In my own journey of being a peace advocate, the following are the principles that came across my path during the happiest and lowest times of my life. These are the principles of my BRAVO Scheme.
1. Yu, u Nobuntu
In the culture and tradition of the Africans, Yu u Nobuntu is the highest praise that can be given to someone that he or she has this wonderful quality: ubuntu – a central tenet of African Philosophy – the essence of what it is to be human. There are two parts in this concept. The first is that the person is friendly, hospitable, generous, gentle, caring and compassionate. In other words, someone who will use his or her strengths on behalf of others – the weak, the poor and the ill – and not take advantage of anyone. The second part expresses openness, large-heartedness. They share their worth to others.
My dear brothers and sisters, we all should be Yu, U Nobuntu, we should all be servant leaders in accordance to how Lord Jesus served our people. We should all be like the successors of Prophet Mohammad called the Khalifat Rasul Allah, who were the messengers of Allah enjoining what is good and forbid what is wrong.
2. The Human Family
If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another’s, that we can be free only together, that we can survive only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family.
You had an activity where you had put yourself into the shoes of others. I just hope that this activity will not just end here, but will be continued as you leave the portals of this camp and live out the true meaning of family.
3. The Human Differences
Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.
We should be generous in our judgements of others, for we can never really know all there is to know about one another.
The key here is REACHING OUT to others. ACCEPT every person you see with openness.
The Christians speak of Unity, according to the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:10 "I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose."
Similarly, the Qur’an speaks of unity: “O Mankind! We created you from a single pair of male and female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may seek mutual understanding, not that you despise each other. Indeed, the most honored among you in the Sight of Allah is the one who is the most God-fearing. Indeed, Allah is all knowing, All Aware” (Qur’an 49:13).
4. The Power of the Fingers
When you have a hand and you have only the separate fingers, it is easy for people to break the fingers. But when you put the fingers together, it is difficult to break them. Let us come together and be one, let us be people of peace, let us be people of harmony.
5. Inequality in Death
Inequality in death results from our separating ourselves from one another in life. In war, for example, we keep score of our casualties to see who is winning… We become unable to see their dead as we mourn our own… Perhaps only we care about each other’s dead can we truly learn to live in the same world together without our irrational prejudices and hatreds.
My brothers and sisters, this is the thought of being selfless, the thought of not just thinking about our own welfare, the welfare of our families and own loved ones, but of HUMANITY. We may have our own relatives, loved ones, children, friends and families, but we often forget that in this Kingdom, a Kingdom created by God we are all brothers and sisters. We are all connected to one another.
6. The “Ting”
Have you seen a symphony orchestra?... There is a chap at the back carrying a triangle. Now and again the conductor will point to him and he will play “ting”. That might seem so insignificant, but in the conception of the composer something irreplaceable would be lost to the total beauty of the symphony if that “ting” did not happen.
Aking mga Kapatid, we should all be the “TINGS” of Mindanao. We should be the “TINGS” of our own people, our own families, our own future and our own communities. Now ask yourself, how can I be the “TING” of my community once I go back to our province?
7. Being the “BOSES” and the “KAKAMPI” of our fellow Mindanaons
As Mindanaons, we should make an appeal for more informed judgements, constructive dialogues and concrete programs tapping on both the human and natural resources, an affirmative reaching out by media and politicians to the grassroot populace in the South to understand the search for genuine peace.
8. The Calling: The Cooperation Management Paradigm
Muslims and Christians must stand up and rise to condemn violence and aggression on the innocent. We should call on everyone – the religious sector, MNLF, MILF, Armed Forces, Government, Sultans, Corporations, Schools, NGOs, Foundations and all the sectors of the Philippines to help bridge the gap between peace and development in Mindanao. In the Cooperation Management Paradigm of a good friend of mine, Major Jake Obligado has proven that the resolutions to the conflict in Mindanao is a shared responsibility in all sectors of the Filipino society. Peace and Prosperity in Mindanao should be everyone’s concern.
As how we in Young Moro Professionals Network call out for Peace in Mindanao, let us all in these times of hardships hold hands as one, both Muslims, Christians and Lumad neighbors, in the name of peace, acceptance and justice. We should all be committed to a democratic and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
9. The Two Levels of Peace
All of us should seek to promote peace on two levels:
a. Peace within oneself
A person can achieve inner peace by creating harmony and balance between his main emotions and his spiritual self.
(Peace should start within us. We can never be good advocates for peace if we ourselves do not have inner peace).
b. Peace With Others
Both Islam and Christianity emphasize on the rights which people have over each other. Both seek to persevere peace in society by training and urging its followers to fulfill the rights of one another. Also, for Muslims and Christians, salvation is not possible by just fulfilling the rights of God; one has to fulfill the rights of other human beings as well.
10. Peace and Freedom: A Different Perspective
People often connote Peace as the absence of war and Freedom as no restrictions. But for me, both Peace and Freedom is a way of life.
In the statement of my other group called Young Moro Professionals Network, an organization that commits to and upholds the fundamentals of Islam and the strengthening of the Ummah; to peace-building and economic development and the pursuit of the Bangsamoro aspiration, we said that, “The Muslims in the South should be given books not bullets, teachers and not tanks, learning not alienating, real freedom not token freedom. Freedom for us means we are able to access opportunities for us to lead a quality of life like all the rest of the Filipinos.
11. Recognition of Cultural Diversity and Autonomy
We should always believe in our potential even with the younger generations. If we can create an understanding of peace, we can create a better society. We should recognize the diversity of cultures and allow some form of autonomy to exist so different sectors can have more control on their own. We should all meet with things that work for all of us.
12. Leadership: A Commonality
A Leader may it be in different strokes or folks, from North to South, Black or White, Muslim or Christian or how different one seem to be, it just says one thing – SERVICE FOR HUMANITY. A True Leader does not seek for his own interest but for the best welfare of others. He does not serve for himself but for what God made him to do so. It is only God, Allah, Bathala or may it be other different names that you call HIM that tells our purpose and mission in this world.
As Morshed Abul Ala would define Islamic Leadership, “It is leading and serving humanity to the way of Allah the Almighty”.
This definition just shows our commonality.
YOU and ME are different, but that’s just a part of life. The fact is our humanness connects us. It is what makes us step outside our culture, just like what you did in this Peace Camp.
13. I LOVE YOU, I CARE FOR YOU
Sometimes, these simple words are difficult to say even with our own families and loved ones.
I want everyone to shout I LOVE YOU, I CARE FOR YOU for these words express Unity and Oneness with Humanity, which what we should be doing to achieve Peace that we have been longing and hoping for.
14. PEACE TAKES WORK: BE A PREACHER OF PEACE (Perform Da’wah)
As John Kennedy said, Mankind must put an end to War or War will put an end to mankind. We should do our part in peace-building. We cannot just sit down and watch the realities in Mindanao, but as Mindanaons, we should be the caretakers of our communities.
There are a lot of ways and means to make a difference and contribute to peace as simple as what you did with your Service Learning Activities for peace is not just about the absence of war but development and wellness of a person and society. Again, Peace mga kapatid is a way of life. It is as simple as teaching your brothers and sisters the good values of being a Muslim or a Christian, it is as simple as being an inspiration to your fellow participants here.
Let us all be preachers or perform our Da’wah of Peace by living out the Muslim or Christian Faith and be good examples to others by being active peace advocates.
Many people ask me what I have learned from all of my experience in this Peace Journey, and I say, Peace is indeed a way of life. A great gift from Allah. We all should love PEACE for it to enter our hearts and minds. Letting it enter in our heart and minds reflects our relationship with others. Our relationship with others in the sense of humanity is a part of God’s ultimate task for us.
BRAVO SCHEME - Breaking the barriers between different religions and cultures especially between Muslims and Christians, be the Voice of the people of Mindanao and create Opportunities to develop the resources in Mindanao and give the people the kind of life that they deserve.
In my own journey of being a peace advocate, the following are the principles that came across my path during the happiest and lowest times of my life. These are the principles of my BRAVO Scheme.
1. Yu, u Nobuntu
In the culture and tradition of the Africans, Yu u Nobuntu is the highest praise that can be given to someone that he or she has this wonderful quality: ubuntu – a central tenet of African Philosophy – the essence of what it is to be human. There are two parts in this concept. The first is that the person is friendly, hospitable, generous, gentle, caring and compassionate. In other words, someone who will use his or her strengths on behalf of others – the weak, the poor and the ill – and not take advantage of anyone. The second part expresses openness, large-heartedness. They share their worth to others.
My dear brothers and sisters, we all should be Yu, U Nobuntu, we should all be servant leaders in accordance to how Lord Jesus served our people. We should all be like the successors of Prophet Mohammad called the Khalifat Rasul Allah, who were the messengers of Allah enjoining what is good and forbid what is wrong.
2. The Human Family
If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another’s, that we can be free only together, that we can survive only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family.
You had an activity where you had put yourself into the shoes of others. I just hope that this activity will not just end here, but will be continued as you leave the portals of this camp and live out the true meaning of family.
3. The Human Differences
Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.
We should be generous in our judgements of others, for we can never really know all there is to know about one another.
The key here is REACHING OUT to others. ACCEPT every person you see with openness.
The Christians speak of Unity, according to the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:10 "I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose."
Similarly, the Qur’an speaks of unity: “O Mankind! We created you from a single pair of male and female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may seek mutual understanding, not that you despise each other. Indeed, the most honored among you in the Sight of Allah is the one who is the most God-fearing. Indeed, Allah is all knowing, All Aware” (Qur’an 49:13).
4. The Power of the Fingers
When you have a hand and you have only the separate fingers, it is easy for people to break the fingers. But when you put the fingers together, it is difficult to break them. Let us come together and be one, let us be people of peace, let us be people of harmony.
5. Inequality in Death
Inequality in death results from our separating ourselves from one another in life. In war, for example, we keep score of our casualties to see who is winning… We become unable to see their dead as we mourn our own… Perhaps only we care about each other’s dead can we truly learn to live in the same world together without our irrational prejudices and hatreds.
My brothers and sisters, this is the thought of being selfless, the thought of not just thinking about our own welfare, the welfare of our families and own loved ones, but of HUMANITY. We may have our own relatives, loved ones, children, friends and families, but we often forget that in this Kingdom, a Kingdom created by God we are all brothers and sisters. We are all connected to one another.
6. The “Ting”
Have you seen a symphony orchestra?... There is a chap at the back carrying a triangle. Now and again the conductor will point to him and he will play “ting”. That might seem so insignificant, but in the conception of the composer something irreplaceable would be lost to the total beauty of the symphony if that “ting” did not happen.
Aking mga Kapatid, we should all be the “TINGS” of Mindanao. We should be the “TINGS” of our own people, our own families, our own future and our own communities. Now ask yourself, how can I be the “TING” of my community once I go back to our province?
7. Being the “BOSES” and the “KAKAMPI” of our fellow Mindanaons
As Mindanaons, we should make an appeal for more informed judgements, constructive dialogues and concrete programs tapping on both the human and natural resources, an affirmative reaching out by media and politicians to the grassroot populace in the South to understand the search for genuine peace.
8. The Calling: The Cooperation Management Paradigm
Muslims and Christians must stand up and rise to condemn violence and aggression on the innocent. We should call on everyone – the religious sector, MNLF, MILF, Armed Forces, Government, Sultans, Corporations, Schools, NGOs, Foundations and all the sectors of the Philippines to help bridge the gap between peace and development in Mindanao. In the Cooperation Management Paradigm of a good friend of mine, Major Jake Obligado has proven that the resolutions to the conflict in Mindanao is a shared responsibility in all sectors of the Filipino society. Peace and Prosperity in Mindanao should be everyone’s concern.
As how we in Young Moro Professionals Network call out for Peace in Mindanao, let us all in these times of hardships hold hands as one, both Muslims, Christians and Lumad neighbors, in the name of peace, acceptance and justice. We should all be committed to a democratic and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
9. The Two Levels of Peace
All of us should seek to promote peace on two levels:
a. Peace within oneself
A person can achieve inner peace by creating harmony and balance between his main emotions and his spiritual self.
(Peace should start within us. We can never be good advocates for peace if we ourselves do not have inner peace).
b. Peace With Others
Both Islam and Christianity emphasize on the rights which people have over each other. Both seek to persevere peace in society by training and urging its followers to fulfill the rights of one another. Also, for Muslims and Christians, salvation is not possible by just fulfilling the rights of God; one has to fulfill the rights of other human beings as well.
10. Peace and Freedom: A Different Perspective
People often connote Peace as the absence of war and Freedom as no restrictions. But for me, both Peace and Freedom is a way of life.
In the statement of my other group called Young Moro Professionals Network, an organization that commits to and upholds the fundamentals of Islam and the strengthening of the Ummah; to peace-building and economic development and the pursuit of the Bangsamoro aspiration, we said that, “The Muslims in the South should be given books not bullets, teachers and not tanks, learning not alienating, real freedom not token freedom. Freedom for us means we are able to access opportunities for us to lead a quality of life like all the rest of the Filipinos.
11. Recognition of Cultural Diversity and Autonomy
We should always believe in our potential even with the younger generations. If we can create an understanding of peace, we can create a better society. We should recognize the diversity of cultures and allow some form of autonomy to exist so different sectors can have more control on their own. We should all meet with things that work for all of us.
12. Leadership: A Commonality
A Leader may it be in different strokes or folks, from North to South, Black or White, Muslim or Christian or how different one seem to be, it just says one thing – SERVICE FOR HUMANITY. A True Leader does not seek for his own interest but for the best welfare of others. He does not serve for himself but for what God made him to do so. It is only God, Allah, Bathala or may it be other different names that you call HIM that tells our purpose and mission in this world.
As Morshed Abul Ala would define Islamic Leadership, “It is leading and serving humanity to the way of Allah the Almighty”.
This definition just shows our commonality.
YOU and ME are different, but that’s just a part of life. The fact is our humanness connects us. It is what makes us step outside our culture, just like what you did in this Peace Camp.
13. I LOVE YOU, I CARE FOR YOU
Sometimes, these simple words are difficult to say even with our own families and loved ones.
I want everyone to shout I LOVE YOU, I CARE FOR YOU for these words express Unity and Oneness with Humanity, which what we should be doing to achieve Peace that we have been longing and hoping for.
14. PEACE TAKES WORK: BE A PREACHER OF PEACE (Perform Da’wah)
As John Kennedy said, Mankind must put an end to War or War will put an end to mankind. We should do our part in peace-building. We cannot just sit down and watch the realities in Mindanao, but as Mindanaons, we should be the caretakers of our communities.
There are a lot of ways and means to make a difference and contribute to peace as simple as what you did with your Service Learning Activities for peace is not just about the absence of war but development and wellness of a person and society. Again, Peace mga kapatid is a way of life. It is as simple as teaching your brothers and sisters the good values of being a Muslim or a Christian, it is as simple as being an inspiration to your fellow participants here.
Let us all be preachers or perform our Da’wah of Peace by living out the Muslim or Christian Faith and be good examples to others by being active peace advocates.
Many people ask me what I have learned from all of my experience in this Peace Journey, and I say, Peace is indeed a way of life. A great gift from Allah. We all should love PEACE for it to enter our hearts and minds. Letting it enter in our heart and minds reflects our relationship with others. Our relationship with others in the sense of humanity is a part of God’s ultimate task for us.
Comment
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Comment by Rohaniza M. Sumndad on August 20, 2009 at 8:52pm
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Mga Kapatid,
I have been going around in Mindanao giving talks on this BRAVO Scheme. Basically I have been sharing with the children and the youth in Mindanao the roles that we all should be portraying as Mindanaons.
I deeply believe that we should set a positive paradigm especially with our children so they may be able to help their own communities in their own spheres of influence.
Let us create a BRAVO network that will propagate this BRAVO Scheme.
I will keep you posted. We can start having small peace camps focused on BRAVO Scheme and Peace-Building (teaching communities how they could be responsible members of the society) since it will also require some resources. I can even do a trainers' training of this so everyone can share it themselves.
To those who will be in Manila, kindly inform me so we can meet :) In the meantime, let's communicate by phone and e-mail. My number is 09175070323, E-mail Ad: sumndad_aai@yahoo.com.
Thank you all for your kind and inspiring words. Let us all be an inspiration to one another.
Salam Mga Kapatid.
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Comment by Jamju on August 6, 2009 at 12:58pm -
This is the best prescription yet for the ills that continue to lay the "promise" of Mindanao to waste throughout the centuries!
We would like to explore ways by which our networks will be able to help yours share this BRAVO Scheme in Basilan and throughout Mindanao more concretely.
What can we do to help out?
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Comment by Francis Rodney G. Jabido on July 31, 2009 at 7:27pm - I agree strongly agree with you Rohaniza, I believe nobody can help us "Mindanaons" to attain lasting peace except we Mindanaon ourselves. God bless Mindanao and all Mindanaons -- Muslims and Christians.
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Comment by rogelio m. cabiladas on July 24, 2009 at 10:17am -
thanks
Allahu Akbar!
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Comment by tom on July 20, 2009 at 9:45pm -
This has a touch of the Divine, Honey...
God is great!
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Comment by Carolina B. Balmaceda on July 19, 2009 at 9:55pm -
Amen...
it brings home the point, kapatid, salamat.
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