Photos and captions courtesy of Suara Bangsamoro Partylist

Visit website of Suara Bangsamoro Partylist

Hari Raya Puasa

Photos courtesy of  Melgre Millan

The takbeer can be heard in all of the mosques of Zamboanga and Basilan on the evening of October 11. It signifies that the fasting month of the Ramadhan has been lifted, Muslims are ready to pray the Eid'l Fitr on the morning of October 12.

Before the prayer of the Eid'l Fitr, the congregational prayer marking the end of the Ramadhan, the Muslims recite the Takbeer:

Allahu akbarullahu, akbarullahu akbar
la illaha illa Allah,
Allahu akbarullahu, akbar
w'al i'llah h'ilhamd
 

God is Greatest, God is Greatest, God is Greatest
There is no god but [the One] God
God is Greatest, God is Greatest
and to Him goes all praise
 

The takbeer is the name of the expression of the phrase "Allahu Akbar" which means Allah is Great. The recitation of the Takbeer means that the Muslims are thanking Allah for making them pass through the test of fasting, one of the pillars of Islam.

In Tipo-Tipo, the Muslims in Basilan prayed in a open space in front of the municipal hall where an Imam lead the prayer. Women used a white mukna (headress for prayer) and lined up at the back of the makeshift mosque.

Christians and fellow Muslims from different health, human rights and youth organizations based in different provinces in Mindanao and Manila, visited the victims of military operations near Tipo-Tipo, Basilan to observe the Muslim's practice of the Eid and to celebrate with them in their community for the Hari Raya.

In Mindanao, war shatters the Ramadan

By Germelina A. Lacorte | Davao Today

The military continued attacking Muslim communities even during the Ramadan, according to human-rights and Moro groups. “When entire communities get displaced by war, how are you going to celebrate Ramadan?” one of them asked. “Ramadan completely loses its meaning. Foremost in your mind, when you’re in an evacuation center, is how to survive, where to look for food, or to keep yourself from being harassed, or get hit by a bomb.”  Read more
 

Members of the Kawagib Moro Human Rights interview PO1 Shamir Jakilan, Albarka's chief of the police. He was one of the government officials in Albarka who told the marines not to proceed to Albarka on July 10 because there are no Abu Sayyaf in Albarka nor sightings of kidnapped priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi.

Regional Peace Forum in Ozamis, October 8, 2007

Hosted by Movers for Peace

Psychosocial Mission in Albarka, Basilan

The children in Albarka, Basilan were so happy when they were presented by the members of Health Action for Human Rights (HAHR) and ZPHEP with crayons, pencils, papers and colored clay to play with for the psychosocial therapy sessions for the children.

According to Fatima Manuel of HAHR, the school supplies remind the children of school. It has been more than three months since the Guinanta-Magcawa Elementary School opened for classes. Children and their parents are afraid to go back to school because of the continuing military operations.

More than 400 elementary students attend the school in Bgy. Magcawa, Albarka. But after seeing elements of the Philippine Marines entered their community on July 10 and after hearing sounds of bombs and guns, the schoolchildren suffered trauma and were afraid to go back to school.

The school is now abandoned, with broken tables, chairs, windowpanes caused by the overnight stay of the Philippine Marines on the evening of July 10. Only the cow stays at the school premises.
 

Home