Halfway through a trip with CRS here in the Philippines. My first time here, and I’ve wanted to see it for a few years now so glad to make it. Spent last week looking at some agriculture projects, and came down today to the area of Pikit in Mindanao. It’s one of those no-go areas according to the US State Department website, which in case you’re reading mom pretty warns every American in every country in the world to lock themselves in their closets immediately. Lots of Muslim/Christian violence here in recent years in particular, so looking at some protection and peacebuilding projects CRS is supporting. If you can get past the passive voice and aid speak of peacebuilding work (“The creation of Spaces for Peace zones will be facilitated”) the work is actually fairly interesting, as groups affected by the war pretty much told the governmet forces and the rebels they’d had it with all the fighting and created areas, with buy in from both sides, where there would be no fighting. Doesn’t seem likely when two sides are trying hard to kill each other, but it worked.
Here for a few more days then back up to the city of Davao and out early next week on a brutal 6 am departure for the US.
June 16th, 2010 | by David in Travel
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All Material © 2008 David Snyder
