KêtindêgISSN 2345-8461 Volume 2 Issue 6 * July, 2013 * 20pages An official publication of the IPDEV Project, Empowering Indigenous Peoples in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao WHAT’S INSIDE? 3 - Finding ways to fill the gap 6 - Exposure to traditional conflict management 9 - Empowerment in laws and para-legal awareness 10 - Kansad Gadung: The spirit of self-governance 12 - FYI: Get to know better your IP neighbor 13 - Born out of a bitter past 16 - Racing against hope 17 - The Tana Tupo of the Dulangan-Manobo Development Consultants Inc. D E V C O N THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED Recognition of the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for BY THE EUROPEAN UNION Empowerment and Sustainable Development (IPDEV) is a project implemented by the consortium: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung e.V., Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) and DEVCON Development Consultants Inc. Kêtindêg, in Teduray roughly means standing up for something, making Table Battle and Ball one be seen and be felt among the many. The word is not far from the of Yarn Exercise in Cebuano, Tagalog or Maguindanao steps to empower Finding variations of tindog, tindig and tindeg respectively. It is a fitting title for a regular publication that attempts to indigenous peoples capture the experiences gathered in this journey of recognizing the (IPs)? rights of the Lumad in the ARMM. ways to fill With this issue, we would like to thank everyone supporting the ” project’s aims, and acknowledge those who are always striving to “ make IPDEV as fruitful, meaningful the gap and sustainable as possible. You make IPDEV a continously inspiring project. Fiyo teresang! To find out more about IPDEV: facebook.com/ipdevarmm @ketind3g for IPDEV videos and radio recordings. TEXTS & VISUAL CONCEPTS: ROMMEL G. REBOLLIDO IN COORDINATION WITH IPDEV 3 MILESTONES May – June 2013 May 30, 2013 June 10-13, 2013 June 17-18, 2013 June 18, 2013 Trainings on Timuay Justice & 5th Project Sounding Board Exposure Trip to Kansad Exposure Trip to Exposure Trip to Pamulaan & EVENTS Governance, Needs-specific Para- Meeting Gadung (Malacañang of Compostela Valley (IP College, University of Legal Training the IPs) Province (IP Self-Governance) Southeastern Philippines) challenging work of imparting ideas and enhancing skills to nearly 3,000 targetted indigenous peoples from 80 barangays of the Autonomous Region in Muslims Mindanao (ARMM). The training course aimed at forming indigenous peoples organizations consist of four modules: IP Leadership, IP Conflict Management, Organizational Management and Rights-based Approach. DEVCON trainors started conducting the trainings in June 2013 in the 23 barangays of Upi and six barangays of Datu Odin Sinsuat town, both in Maguindanao province. One trainor has this to say, “Food and fitness? They may just be metaphors in our work of feeding people with of conflict settlement. About 45 In the ensuing training sessions, generations are unaware of that story ideas, knowledge and skills.” barangays are knowledgeable of the many IP communities reaffirmed of leaders Amil and Ado due to the Indeed, it can just be that in this IP settlement process but are already the formation of indigenous peoples ensuing developments in Mindanao urgent need to fill an open gap that practicing a mix of the mainstream organizations as a means to advance and changes in society, until it became for years marginalized and put at a and traditional systems. their struggle for recognition and part of the IPs historical injustices. “TABLE Battle” and “Ball of Yarn disadvantage indigenous peoples and An overwhelming 65 barangays development. In several barangays, the story of Mamalu and Tabunaway took some Exercise” in steps to empower their communities. showed they are aware of their rights After learning of their rights as IPs twist. In 27 barangays, it has been indigenous peoples (IP)? A reality gap check on IP leadership although many appeared reluctant and the traditional practices of other to advance or promote them. All tribes, many IP communities value passed to several generations that The terms may trigger images revealed that out of the 80 barangays Tabunaway is a female while 43 of food-munching individuals and identified for training, some 56 have the barangays of Upi and South Upi the formation of Fenuwo and tribal towns in Maguindanao have claimed councils as a means to restore and barangays shared their knowledge people working out in a gym, but, Fenuwo or tribal council and 14 of of the history that Tabunaway and these actually have nothing to do with these are not functional. Also, some significant knowledge of their rights strengthen their traditional system of as IPs. governance. Mamalu are brothers and Tabunaway eating or physical fitness. 24 IP barangays have not established opted to embrace Islam. Worth to note is that about 43 or The sessions allowed a venue to tell Among community workers in their traditional village structure. In 10 barangays, they heard the IPDEV, especially trainors from the On IP conflict settlement, only 21 half of the targetted barangays have the story of Mamalu and Tabunaway, story for the first time, when told Development Consultants (DEVCON), barangays are adherent to traditional already been reached by the issue a portion of Mindanao’s history that during training. these are essentially demonstrative settlement. Five barangays have no on the Framework Agreement on the was never given prominence. That given, food and fitness should training methods they use in that significant knowledge of the IP way Bangsamoro. Many IPs among the younger not just be metaphors after all. 4 5 n June 20, 2013 July 2013 July 2013 July 12, 2013 July 2013 July 2013 Exposure Trip to Don Training Courses on Launch and Pretest of Identification of Trainings on Free Prior Orientations on IP Bosco BioDynamic Peoples’ Organizations Empowerment and Sustainable Sacred Places and Informed Consent Mandatory Farms Development Monitoring Tool Representatives The simulation on marital infidelity HANDY TOOL. A modern way of imparting knowledge, showed the more traditional way of participants to trainings on tribal conflict settlement case settlement. The processes and view a video of the traditional Tiyawan. principles went as follows: - The husband-complainant went Exposure to to the Kefeduwan (tribal justice) to complain that his wife was having an affair with another man. - After receiving the complain, the Kefeduwan made an investigation Traditional for a probable cause. After probable cause was established, he scheduled a Tiyawan proper or actual case settlement to the parties. He did not Conflict allow the respondents to appear during the Tiyawan to avoid a possible confrontation. He first oriented the parties to the case as his introduction. Management First, he listened to is the side of the complainant, then both the parents of the respondents. “WITH our faith as indigenous people, traditional conflict management and Kefedewan” (Orientation on Tribal In the argumentation, all possible we need not fear what lies ahead.” tribal justice, a program launched by Justice Work). He explained that details have been exhausted. Lobbying Such declared Supreme Justice IPDEV. Kéfédéwan (tribal justice) work is (Fagilidan) Domingo Olubalang as he In that training activity, leaders only one of three branches of Timuay stated, “Am more than 70 years old and their “secondliners” from the Justice and Governance work. The now. My days are numbered. It is my Higaonon, Teduray, Lambangian and two others are Council of Chieftains commitment to be a light and guide to Dulangan-Manobo went through or Mintéd sa Ingéd and departmental the tribe to stand up. I will serve until field coaching and exposure trips, work or Kasarigan. my last days.” tackling issues aimed at strengthening A simulation of a Tiyawan (conflict The Fagilidan was among indigenous self-governance and settlement) was conducted with participants who shared and learned justice systems. two groups performing on two most from experiences of other indigenous Timuay Labi Sannie Bello talked common cases - land boundary peoples and communities on about “Oryentasyon ng Gawaing conflict and marital infidelity. 6 7 July 2013 July 19, 2013 July 31, 2013 Training on Campaign Advocacy Courtesy briefing with Philippine Army 6th Partnership with HEART/BHRN (Humanitarian Management Infantry Division commander, Major General Emergency Action Response Team - Romeo Gapuz Bangsamoro Human Rights Network) in ARMM Empowerment in laws and para-legal awareness ALLOWING them to have adequate and sharing by experts, the training having “very limited knowledge” skills, ideas and ability to tackle para- course also tackled such topics as about the IPRA. Many of the terms by all parties have been considered. legal issues, select groups among the the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act mentioned in the law were strange to After weighing the arguments indigenous peoples from 80 barangays (IPRA); Legal Processes (Prosesong them. presented, the Kefeduwan asked the case, voluntarily agreeing means the seemed to have went well, it was in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Legal); Investigation (Imbistigasyon); They were eager to have in their complaining party on what could ‘broken feelings’ – which is the core of noticed that Tiyawan only involved Mindanao underwent training on Documentation (Dokumentasyon); town the mandatory representatives be their demand. The demand was conflict, has already been patched-up. one Kefeduwan who acted as judge need-specific para-legal concerns. Evidence (Ebidensiya); Barangay in the barangays and municipality and to double the dowry which is two The agreed final judgment include kefeduwan. The parties did not have The trainings were done to 152 Justice System (Katarungang be provided with basic social services carabaos, two horses, and 5,000 a bundle of: double-the-dowry, a counsel on each side. No ‘binuwaya’ individuals identified from among the Pambarangay); and Traditional Justice by government. pesos in cash. The Kefeduwan then that the child shall be at father’s (metaphor) was used.