Sunday, November 6, 2011

Moro rebels-turned-farmers in Maguindanao

After almost two decades, 309 former Moro rebels-turned-farmers in
Maguindanao are now proud owners of lands awarded to them by the
government.

Maguindanao Governor Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, in coordination with
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) -Maguindanao, led in the
distribution here on Nov. 3 of land ownership certificates involving
919 hectares of donated land to beneficiaries from Barangay Nuyo,
Buldon town.

"The distributed lands are help coming from the government to the
landless natives of Buldon," the governor said.

Mangudadatu added that the event is also the realization of the
government's promise to former rebel commanders and members of the
Moro National Liberation Front Batch 300 headed by MNLF founding chair
Nur Misuari.

The MNLF inked a final peace accord with the government on Sept. 2, 1996.

Following the awarding of lands, Mangudadatu said plans are also
underway for the distribution of rubber and oil palm tree seedlings
for the beneficiaries to start attending to their acquired lands.

DAR Maguindanao chief Bai Cabayan Bacar said they have so far
distributed 4,700 hectares of land to beneficiaries in the province as
part of the government's peace initiative efforts in Mindanao.

Rebel-returnee Mohammad Ali Dimanalao, then MNLF Commander Carding,
said the government had shown sincerity by making good their pledge to
assist former insurgents like to him to rejoin the mainstream society.

"We would like to thank the government for our new lands as we also
promise to take good care of it for our future," he said.

Dimanalao said since 1996, his group has patiently waited for such
time to come and had not lose hope on acquiring the promised lands to
them by the government.

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