April 25, 2008 - Muslim Mindanao Website

themoroTimesD1A MONTHLY NEWS SECTION OFApril 25, 2008The Manila TimesE V E R Y L A S T F R I D A YLake Lanao may be gone in 20 years■ The Lanao Community and tourists alike should do their partnow on taking care of the Lanao Lake if they still want to savor itsbreathtaking view. The Lanao lake is one of the five oldest lakesin the world and is the second-largest freshwater lake in thePhilippines.MARANAO mythology has awondrous story about the creationof Lake Lanao.In the beginning, the land of Mantapoliwas so heavy, it threatened to turn the worldupside down. Allah instructed the AngelGabriel to call all His angels. Millions ofangels lifted Mantapoli and transferred it tothe center of the earth. Allah then filled theenormous gap with water, thus creating thedeep-blue Lanao Lake.Unfortunately, Lanao Lake no longerbears a resemblance the lake created byGod. Decades of logging, pollution anddegradation have turned it into a vastsewage pool.Local doomsayers are warning thatMindanao’s largest lake may be gone inabout 20 years or so if it is not saved frominternal and external threats.Lake Lanao in Lanao del Sur is one ofthe five oldest lakes in the world andis the second-largest freshwater lake inthe Philippines, with a surface area of 340■ No oneneeds theManila Baysunsetwhen onehasLiguasanMarsh duskto look at.square kilometers.The United Nations Environment Programconsidered Lake Lanao as one of the 250priority biodiverse lakes. It used to be hometo 18 endemic fish species that not foundanywhere else. These species are now gone.Lake Lanao sits atop a plateau in the heartof Lanao del Sur, surrounded by 31 municipalitiesand one city (Marawi). Four riversfeed into the lake, and its only outlet is theAgus River, which flows northward into IliganBay via two channels, one over the famousMaria Cristina Falls, the other over theLinamon Falls. The Agus River provides electricityfor the Mindanao power grid.Lanao del Sur, the second-most populatedprovince in the Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), isalso the seventh-most impoverished (asof 2003) and has the sixth-lowest humandevelopment index (HDI) among prov-Liguasan Marsh an ‘Amazon’ in MindanaoBY SAMIRA GUTOCMORO TIMES MANAGING EDITORWHAT do the Philippine Eagle, a crocodileand some 112,000 Maguindanaon familieshave in common?They all call Liguasan Marsh in CentralMindanao “home.”The biggest wetland in Mindanao and oneof the largest freshwater bodies in the country,Liguasan Marsh spans 288,000 hectares.inces in the country.About 92 percent of those who livedaround the lake are Maranaos, who arehistorically and culturally linked tothe lake and dependent on it for foodand livelihood.Most of the employed (at only 50.98percent of the total workforce or only 28percent of the total population) are in agriculture,hunting and forestry. This highlightsthe dependence on the natural resources—especially by the women—particularlyin the watershed areas in the livelihoodof the people.Impact on the lakewatershed reservationPresidential Proclamation 871 dated February1992 declared the Lake Lanao Watershedreservation. The area spans180,640 hectares.Lake Lanao serves a reservoir for NationalPower Corp.’s (Napocor’s) six Agus Gridhydroelectric power plants, which generatean aggregate installed capacity of 727.1➤LakeD2It is situated at the North Cotabato andSouth Cotabato provinces and lies at theconfluence of the Pulangi, Maganoy, Buluanand Allah rivers, where water from theCotabato River Basin is drained, preventingflood in downstream areas of the CentralMindanao region. Liguasan Marsh cutsacross three provinces—Maguindanao, SultanKudarat and Cotabato.Most of the natural resources here remainuntapped, thus the interest of many international-fundingagencies. Liguasan is morefamous for hosting the Buliok sanctuary, aformer stronghold of the Moro Islamic LiberationFront (MILF), where foundingChairman Salamat Hashim held camp. Thepeace and order has affected the blossomingof the eco-tourism potential of the place.The biodiversity is rich. According to thePhilippine environmental group Haribon,the marsh supports a great variety of aquatic➤AmazonD2PRESERVE, PROTECT THEENVIRONMENT–‘KHUTBA’(Editor’s note: Following are excerpts from thekhutba or sermon delivered by the ulama affiliatedwith the Assembly of the Darul Ifta of thePhilippines.)Respected brothers and sisters in Islam!Islam is a very practical worldview. It seeks,in all of its principles and injunctions, togive pragmatic shapes to its concepts andvalues. Indeed, the notion of Tawhid (onenessof Allah) and Khalifa (vicegerency) hasbeen translated into practical injunctions inthe sharia (Islamic Law).Such sharia institutions as Haram zones,inviolate areas within which developmentis prohibited to protect natural resourcesand ni’ma, reserves established solely for theconservation of wildlife, marine resourcesand forest from the core of environmentallegislation of IslamAllah stated in the Holy Koran: “Verily!In the creation of the heavens and the earth,and in the alternation of night and day, andthe ships which sail through the sea with thatwhich is of use to mankind, and the water [rain]which Allâh sends down from the sky and makesthe earth alive therewith after its death, andthe moving [living] creatures of all kinds thatHe has scattered therein, and in the veering ofwinds and clouds which are held between thesky and the earth, are indeed Ayât [proofs, evidences,signs, etc.] for people of understanding.”(2:164)These verses tell us how important we arein this world as the Khalifa (vicegerent) ofAllah created by Him. Such is the main purposeand objective of life. Nonetheless, weare to worship Him alone and none else.This way, ibada (worship) is most importantto us. We must understand that ibada is notonly expressed or done with salah (dailyprayers), or fasting on Ramadhan, or to performhajj once in a lifetime. Ibada in its realsense is obedience to the Commandmentsand Divine Teachings of Allah in the HolyBook (Koran) and as well obey the teachingsof the Prophet Mohammad, and bethankful to the Creator for whatever goodand happiness we attain or achieve in thisWorld in preparation for the Eternal Life inthe hereafter.❋ ❋ ❋Lately, some of our provinces, like Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, were inevitably dragged bynews about reported encroachment of foreignvessels that catch at sea anchorage rare,costly fish specie found only in the portionof the Sulu Sea off Tawi-Tawi.The mufti has declared a need for the preservationof the sea turtle in the province’ssea, it being of endangered specie also.But what can an edict or opinion of religiousleaders do to help regulate the exploitationof our natural resources, and worseyet, by outsiders doing it without the permissionof our people.First, there should be a written regulationissued by the governing authorities foreverybody’s compliance.Few of us may have learned that few menamong us braved to intercept another vesselfrom Navotas in Metro Manila. Theowner of the vessel called the authorities inZamboanga City and declared that his boatwas stolen and its crew held hostage in Tawi-Tawi. What an irony to bear. If we police outsidersagainst the exploitation of our naturalresources, it is us in the end that appearsbeing the thieves.It is also alarming to find out that someenterprising individuals were ferrying someof our women and sisters to anchored fishingvessels to entertain their crew with whatappears to be prostitution of some seadwellingwomen.On love and protection of the environmentwithout the slightest intent of greedon and abuse of the creations, the Prophetof Islam said: “Love whatever on the Earth andHe who is above will love you.”In the hadith, I mentioned, the HolyProphet informs that love and care are notconfined on personal relations among humanbeings, but are extended onto othercreations, the botanical garden and animallife on land and bodies of water.In this regard, man should not cause destructionand spread mischief in any formupon the Earth and its waters because Allahthe Almighty said: “And do not do mischief onthe earth, after it has been set in order, andinvoke Him with fear and hope. Surely, Allâh’sMercy is [ever] near unto the good doers.” (7:56;7:85)❋ ❋ ❋The Holy Prophet said: “Do not createharm so you will not be harmed.”In his pre-deployment orientation to theMuslim army of his time, he would forbid➤KhutbaD2

■ LAKE FROM D1The Manila TimesthemoroTimesDANTE FRANCIS M. ANG IIExecutive Editor/President and CEO❋ ❋ ❋RENE Q. BASEditor in Chief❋ ❋ ❋AMINA RASULEditorSAMIRA GUTOC-TOMAWISManaging EditorNASSER SHARIEFALIYYA SAWADJAANEditorial Team❋ ❋ ❋BRIAN M. AFUANGArt DirectorTelephone 524-5665 to 67Telefax 521-6897 • 521-6872Subscription 528-1319www.manilatimes.netE-mail newsboy@manilatimes.net❋ ❋ ❋The Moro Times is published by ManilaTimes monthly at 371 A. BonifacioDrive, Port Area, Manila, 1018❋ ❋ ❋T1-20, Governors PlaceCondominium, Shaw Blvd.,Mandaluyong CityTelefax 532-6058E-mail: mkfi@pldtdsl.netD2themoroTimesThe Manila Times FRIDAY April 25, 2008Lake Lanao may be gone in 20 years–experts saymegawatts. Lake Lanao is an integralpart of the powerful river system thatproduces about 70 percent ofMindanao’s electricity.To fully tap the enormous hydroelectricpotential of LakeLanao, the flow of Agus Rivermust be stabilized at the expenseof destabilizing the level of theLake Lanao. Destabilizing the lakelevel according to foreign writersFrey and Rabor has severe economicand sociological repercussionson the region as well asmarked influences on the limnologyof the lake. It should be notedthat the construction of the seriesof dams across the Agus River willlower the lake’s level to as muchas 9 meters.The degradation of Lake Lanaois also caused by siltation from deforestation,pollution from agriculturalrun-offs and human habitation,fluctuation of water levels dueto the dams, overfishing, introductionof alien species, and forestdenudation. This is causing majorsocial and economic backlash notonly on the local population butalso on the lake itself and the entirecountry.According to the Save Lake LanaoMovement (SALAM), the lake watershedis gradually sloping from sealevel at the outlet of Agus River atIligan Bay to about 702 meters elevationat the lake level to about2.316 meters at the peak of the highestpoint along the watershed divideat Mount Magaturing.The 54-nation Organization ofIslamic Conference (OIC) has takennote of the plight of Lake Lanaothrough the representations of a■ AMAZON FROM D1group, the Ranao Claims Against thePower Plants (RCAPP). The groupcomplains that Napocor, a governmentcorporation, has not compliedwith the terms of an EnvironmentalCompliance Certificate issued bythe Department of Environmentand Natural Resources requiring thecompany to build and construct irrigationinfrastructures in the lakearea, organize an environment guaranteefund and provide compensationto farmers in inundated areas,and monitor water-borne diseasesin the lake’s waters.The group demanded thatNapocor undertake massive reforestationin watershed areas.Napocor, in response, said it hasembarked in major reforestation andagro-forestry and fish stocking in thewatershed, contributing some P10million to the Lake Lanao WatershedProtection Council of the Environmentand Natural Resources department.It has also involved Save LakeLanao Movement as part of a MultipartiteMonitoring Team to overseethe implementation of communityprograms to rehabilitate the lake.Several agencies and groups havetaken up the cudgel for the lake.Liguasan Marsh an ‘Amazon’ in Mindanaowildlife, including 20 species of fish,three species of reptiles, and morethan 20 species of waterfowl, notablyherons, egrets and ducks.Former Dean of the College ofForestry of the Cotabato City StatePolytechnic College AbonawasPendaliday said there are 92 recordedbird species, six reptiles andfive amphibians here. Here one canfind the rare Comb-crested Jacana(Irediparra gallinacea), the endangeredPhilippine Crocodile(Crocodylus mindorensis), and theEstuarine Crocodile (C. porosus), aswell as the rare Philippine Eagle,(formerly known as the MonkeyeatingEagle, known by its scientificname, Pithecophaga jefferyi.)Datu Muslimin Ampatuan,undersecretary for operations of theDepartment of Environment andNatural Resources in the AutonomousRegion in Muslim Mindanao(ARMM), said their office has classifiedLiguasan Marsh as a naturalbiotic area. In 1941, the Bureau ofForestry declared 43,971 hectares ofthe vast marshland as game refugeand bird sanctuary.The marsh is home to 112,000Maguindanaon families whose primarymeans of livelihood are fishingwhen water levels are high andagriculture when they are low. Agriculturalland is rich and fertile forgrowing corn, rice, vegetables, legumesand root crops.■ Green fields that surround Lake Lanao makes it one of the closest things to paradise.■ The LiguasanMarsh’sfreshwatergives life notonly to watercreatures, butto variousplants such ascorn and rootcrops as well.Will human needs destroy thesanctuary?Pendaliday said the original florahave been largely altered because ofhuman encroachment and landconversion. Swamp forest sitessampled for agricultural purposesare no longer intact. Other threatsto nature include deforestationcaused by timber poaching, landconversion, and improper agricultural-landmanagement practices.Nongovernmental organizationswith foreign aid and the governmenthave recognized the economic and politicalimportance of Liguasan Marsh.In the Cotabato-Agusan RiverBasin Development Project, governmenthas initiated the constructionof a cut-off channel from thePagulungan sector of the Rio■ KHUTBA FROM D1The government’s Watershed Council,Napocor, provincial governmentsof Lanao del Sur, Lanao delNorte, and civil society groups—Ranao Claims Against the PowerPlants, Save Lake Lanao Movement,and Philippine Muslim WomenCouncil—have each worked on environmentalinitiatives that willhopefully benefit the generationsof Maranaos to come.Protected and rehabilitated,Lake Lanao may still become thedeep-blue lake God created forthe Maranaos.SAMIRA GUTOC AND DALUMABI BULARoadmap to peace:A new deal for Mindanao(Editor’s note: Professor MonerBajunaid was chancellor of theMindanao State University in GeneralSantos. He is on the board ofthe Peace and Equity Foundationand is a convenor of the PhilippineCouncil for Islam and Democracy.Following is his speech at theMindanao State graduation ceremonieson March 30, 2008.)Peace has been defined in manyways, at times in a way that impliesthe absence of war. The conceptof peace, however, has awider and deeper significance inthe history of man.Sayyid Qutb, a well-known Islamicscholar, once wrote,“Peace emerges as the preambleto the principle of harmony.Peace means harmony in theuniverse, harmony in the lawsof life and the origin of man.War, on the other hand, is theresult of the violations of harmony,such as injustice, oppressionand subjugation.”Konrad Adenauer, the firstchancellor of the Federal Republicof Germany, said, “Peace andfreedom, these are the foundationsof human existence. Withoutpeace and freedom, nationscannot develop, and mankindcannot enjoy neither happinessnor tranquility. Peace for asingle human being is impossiblewithout peace for his or hernation. But peace without freedomis not peace.”I share the views of Sayyid Qutband Konrad Adenauer. Peace, freedomand justice are intertwinedand indivisible. The road to peace,however, is long and requires aprocess that can only be takenwith wisdom and patience, andwith an unwavering commitmentto address the challenges ofpeacemaking. The roadmap topeace requires a process of dialogue,education, accommodation,and yes, love.DialogueI had the rare opportunity of joiningthe peace talks between thePhilippine government and theMoro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF) from 1997 to 2000 untilthe outbreak of Erap Estrada’s alloutwar. My experience in thepeace process taught me the valueof dialogue.Understanding in the midstof diversity is the essence of dialogue,whether interfaith orintercivilizational. In Mindanao,that essence is sadlymissing. What we see is a failureto communicate and to listen.We view others in our image,and never try to look otherswith their own eyes.Listening is one of the 10 valuesadopted by the UNESCO inorder to achieve international understanding.The late King Faisalof Saudi Arabia once said, “Manis created with two ears and onemouth in order for him to listentwice as much as he can talk.”Harmony and peaceful pro-existenceshould be the ultimateaim of dialogue. To reach thisgoal, there needs a process to beundertaken with commitmentand mutual trust. This processshould erase the seeds of hatred,antipathy, and prejudice. And inthe end, it should open the wayto understanding, reconciliationand cooperation. That is the hallmarkof a dialogue.EducationA verse in the Koran teaches mankindthat God has created us froma male and a female, and made usevolve into nations and tribes sothat we may know one another.Getting to know our fellow humanbeing, regardless of creed,race and color, is the key to acquiringknowledge. Here, educationplays a vital role in promotingpeace and understanding.Knowledge is imparted fromgeneration to generation. Mankindhas carried the torch ofknowledge from one civilizationto another. Knowledge was passedfrom the hands of men andwomen of wisdom, ignoring theirPRESERVE, PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT–‘KHUTBA’them the harming of people that werenon-party to the conflict, “the elderly,the children and women [amongthem], as well as the synagogues andplaces of worship [of other religions]and do not cut the trees.”We have to be aware of the factthat Islam prescribes the protectionand preservation of Mother Natureand whatever is entrusted to us byGrande de Mindanao to prevent andcontrol floods. A major developmentproject, the Liguasan MarshFreshwater Fisheries Project, was establishedunder the auspices of theSouthern Philippine DevelopmentAuthority, which plans the installationof at least 800 fish cages for tilapiaculture and another 400 fishcorrals for fish capture.Admiral Muhammad Som of theinternational monitoring team,which is overlooking the ceasefireagreement between governmentand the MILF, said Liguasan Marshcontains great oil and mineral reserves“that have become the envyof many.”Dr. Abas Candao, chairman ofthe Bangsamoro DevelopmentAgency, said the “conservation ofthe Almighty. Islam also reminds usnot to be wasteful on anything beneficialfor humankind. We shouldnot destroy whatever is on Earth andin seas, which are all created for thebenefit of humankind.Allah said in the Koran: “And giveto the kindred his due and to the Miskîn[poor] and to the wayfarer. But spend notwastefully [your wealth] in the mannerthe natural environment is a moraland ethical imperative, and thatthere is need for these ethicalteachings to be backed with legislationand effective enforcement.”The Development Agency is thedevelopment arm of the MILFrebels, who are known to seek refugeat the forested portions ofLiguasan Marsh.Som said the first step in theimplementation of reforestationprogram for Liguasan Marsh “is foreverybody to change their mindset.”“Although it is not an easy move,we must realize that we will neverreach nor achieve anything in ourway to preserve nature unless wetune ourselves to be an environmental-friendlyusers or consumers,”he said.of a spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts arebrothers of the Shayatîn [devils], and theShaitân [Devil Satan] is ever ungratefulto his Lord.” (17:26-27)In the same manner, anything weneed for the welfare of the peopleshould be properly and carefullymanaged as mandated by Islam.This includes the slaughtering ofanimals, hunting of birds andcatching of fish. Any action withoutjustification and valid reasonsshould be avoided and discouraged.Wrong interpretation andamendments of any teachings ofIslam has to be ceased. Muslimsshould without any reservationworship Allah alone and obey HisEternal Guidance and follow thetradition of Prophet Mohammad.BY PROF. MONERM. BAJUNAIDJIHADISTracial or religious affiliations. Forknowledge has no borders; it transcendstradition and culture.AccommodationAccommodation means allowingothers to fully develop their naturaland innate potentials, whileinteracting with the rest of the society.The whole mankind is onehumanity, sharing common experiencesand common heritage.Lest we forget, we are a family ofnations belonging to One God.Muslims and Christians canjoin hands for the sake of ourcommon humanity. If we buildon our commonalities rather thandifferences, this world would bea better place to live in.LoveWhen I was studying in aCatholic high school, we weretold to love our neighbor as welove ourselves. My devout Muslimparents taught me whatProphet Muhammad once said,“You are a Muslim when youwish for people what you wishfor yourself.”So many things can be saidabout love of fellow human beings.Jesus came to teach the virtuesof love. Muhammadpreached the brotherhood ofman among his followers. BothIslam and Christianity tell us tobe merciful, kind and loving toour fellowmen.The ultimate challenge of the21st century will be to face the realitythat humanity shares a commonfate on a shared planet. Weare part of an interconnectedworld of global trade, ever-growingmigration, dynamic ideas,notwithstanding the risk of widespreaddiseases, global warming,wars and conflict.In the words of Jeffrey Sachs ofColumbia University and authorof The End of Poverty, “The ideathat has the greatest potential tochange the world is simply this:by overcoming cynicism, endingour misguided view of the worldas an enduring struggle of ‘us’ vs.‘them’ and instead seeking globalsolutions, we actually have thepower to save the world for all,today and in the future. Whetherwe end up fighting one anotheror whether we work together toconfront common threats—ourfate, our common wealth, is inour hands.”Each of you, graduates of anew generation, has a role to playin our society and a chance forleadership. Study the problemsin your community and, wheneverpossible, travel into the landof the poor and the distressed. Tounderstand your generation’sreal challenges, there is no substitutefor seeing the face of povertyand conflict, the wanton destructionof our forests and naturalresources. To realize that weare all in this shared planet together,there is no substitute formeeting and engaging withpeople across cultures and religions.Get your community involvedin some aspect of sustainabledevelopment: addressingthe roots of poverty, conflict andenvironmental destruction.Finally, let us offer a gift ofhope to our new generation; ahope that our people, Muslimsand Christians alike, can journeytogether into the path of peaceand prosperity; a hope that theywill live together a future not offear and mistrust, but of goodwilland understanding; a future notof bigotry, but of respect and tolerance;a future not of conflict butof resolution; a future not of indifference,but of accommodation;a future not of hate, but oflove and compassion.❋ ❋ ❋May Allah direct me and you to theblessings of the Glorious Koran andbenefit me and you in whatever is init of the Ayat and Wise Dhikr. I say thisand ask Allah the Great and the MostHonored for forgiveness for me, youand all Muslims for every sin. InvokeHim for forgiveness, for He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.