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PHILIPPINES: Inter-faith relations now in crisis, warns priest
By John Pontifex
A map of the Philippines
The attacks which killed nearly 60 people in the Philippines will heighten religious tensions in a region increasingly infiltrated by fundamentalists, a priest has warned.
Father Sebastiano D’Ambra, who is a leading expert on dialogue with Islam in the Philippines, told Aid to the Church in Need it was crucial to redouble efforts aimed at inter-faith cooperation in the troubled island of Mindanao after the massacre of at least 57 people on Monday 23rd November.
Although the killings are widely seen as political, taking place ahead of elections in May, Father D’Ambra indicated that they were part of a breakdown in inter-faith relations in an island conscious of its unique status as a mainly Muslim region within the predominantly Catholic Philippines.
The Italian priest’s comments also follow the kidnapping in Mindanao of Irish missionary Father Michael Sinnott, who was released earlier in November after a month in captivity.
Father D’Ambra isthe founder of an inter-faith initiative called the Silsilah Movement and has worked on religious cooperation in the region for almost 30 years.
He said that relations with Muslims had declined sharply since the 1960s.
Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, which supports the work of the Silsilah Movement, he said: “Religious dialogue today is becoming more and more complicated because of the influence of groups which do not encourage dialogue between Christians and Muslims.”
The priest, who was in Europe to take part in a conference in Frankfurt, Germany, examining Christianity in Asia, added: “Before the 1970s, there was a traditional way of living Islam in this region. Relations between Christians and Muslims were quite good but for many reasons there has been a deterioration.
Referring to the “infiltration” of extremists, he said: “We have seen the spread of Wahabi [extremist Sunni Islam].”
Also referring to the rise of Muslim insurgency groups including the Abu Sayyaf, he said “The decline of Muslim-Christian relations is already serious and will get more serious unless the political situation improves and, in the context of killings like those on Monday, I do not see that happening soon.”
But Father D’Ambra insisted that the Silsilah Movement and other work towards better Muslim-Christian relations could yet succeed, despite the setbacks.
Set up 25 years ago, the movement creates opportunities for inter-faith cooperation centring on the 14-acre Harmony Village in Zamboanga city, which comprises an institute for religious dialogue, a training centre and activities for youngsters from different religions, as well as a chapel and a mosque.
Father D’Ambra wants to expand Silsilah’s work with a media centre, preparing materials for television and radio, promoting religious peace initiatives and inter-faith advocacy initiatives aimed at tackling exploitation by employers.
One such programme involves lobbying to stop a mining company from working in an area that risks cutting off a crucial water supply to villagers.
He said: “The Silsilah Movement is working very hard. We have to be convinced of our work for dialogue. If our efforts are to work, they have to be sustainable.”
The priest added: “We have to remember that there are many groups in Mindanao who work for dialogue. Indeed most groups have a peaceful approach.”