Nonviolent Peaceforce International Unarmed Civilian Peace keeping project in Mindanao Philippines secured more recognition, acceptance and support as the Project team was recently invited by the Chairmen of Government Republic of Philippines (GRP) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and newly appointed head of the International Monitoring Team-4 to share in a joint session about “NP as an International Organization, its composition, mission, authority and operational activities in Mindanao relative to the ongoing GRP-MILF ceasefire agreement and peace negotiations”.

The top officials of the Ceasefire Committee in Mindanao recognized NP as a genuine grass roots based Civilian Peace Keeping organization and appreciated NP programme activities to strengthen the peace process in Mindanao especially refining ‘Early Warning System and Early Response’ in vulnerable areas close to NP field sites. The official’s categorically endorsed NP to link up community based Early Warning System and Early Response with the monitoring posts of Ceasefire Mechanism structure. The officials and NP project agreed to maintain regular communication and collaboration at the headquarters and field sites level. As a corollary, the Joint CCCH (GRP-MILF-IMT) recently invited NP to visit along with the Monitoring teams to one of the on going conflict affected areas in Maguindanao and requested NP to monitor the situation at the grass roots level along with NP partner organizations and observe the return of IDPs back to their villages.

(left to right)
Front:
1st Admiral Dato Pahlawan Amzah Bin Sulaiman - IMT Deputy Head of Mission (Malaysia), Von Al Haq – Chairman MILF-CCCH (Mindanao - Philippines), Maj.Gen Datuk Mat Yasin Bin Mat Daud - IMT Head of Mission (Malaysia), Brg.Gen. Reynaldo Sealana - Chairman GRP-CCCH (Philippines), Atif Hameed - Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) Philippines Project Director (Pakistan).
Middle: Lt. Colonel Hamzah Bin Haji Ali - IMT (Malaysia), Saeed - Socio-Econ Advisor IMT (Malaysia), Michael Tanya (ICP -Kenya) Lt.Colonel Nhoreudin Alhegni – IMT (Libyan), Norgianna Suleik - NP Philippines. Communications Officer (Mindanao – Philippines), Aleksandra Basa (ICP - Serbia), Lt. Colonel Baharuddin Bin Ahmad - Chief of Staff- IMT 4 (Malaysia), Sabin Muresan (ICP - Romania).
At the Back: Alex Mujahid - MILF-CCCH Secretariat, Captain Carlos Sol Jr - Head of Secretariat GRP-CCCH (Malaysia) and Captain Azwan Bin Md Akhir – IMT (Malaysia).

Abbreviations:
CCCH - Coordinating Committee on the cessation of Hostilities
GRP – Government Republic of Philippines
MILF – Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
ICP – International Civilian Peacekeeper of NP
NP – Nonviolent Peaceforce
IDP – Internally Displaced Persons