INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MISSION

The Prelature of Infanta in cooperation with Fastenopfer (Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund), Dreikonigsaktion (DKA Austria) and Mensen met een Missie (MM-Holland) collaborated to support the  marginalized sectors of Casiguran town, in the Northeastern Luzon Provice of Aurora. The collaboration is dubbed as the International Solidarity Mission (ISM) and its main objective is to support the Anti-APECO (Aurora Pacific Ecozone and Freeport) campaign. Along with a local group called Task-Force Anti-APECO, the ISM will strengthen the campaign on both local and national levels.

The mission will commence with a visit by local and international delegates on the site of APECO in Casiguran, Aurora from February 16 to 20, which will then be followed by a press  conferences  in Manila  on  February 20 and 21.

The aim of the mission is to  dialogue with marginalized  groups  and  jointly plan  common  actions  to further advance  the campaign  to  repeal the APECO Law.  A comprehensive mission and fact finding report shall also be drafted and circulated to concerned government agencies.

Likewise, the ISM is meant to upscale current initiatives on the international arena, where participants from the European Union will push to pressure a number of inter-governmental bodies and groups to issue statements against APECO, as well as develop actions against the ecozone's funders and potential investors.

Finally, ISMis meant to spur the formation of solidarities among other like-minded groups and potential audiences throughout the Philippines by organizing a real-time social media campaign that will monitor and disseminate the situation of the struggle in Casiguran, Aurora across the rest of the Philippines.

The following are specific objectives of the ISM:

  1. Strengthen international solidarity to support the struggle of the local communities against APECO.
  2. Bring the violations of APECO to the government and public attention at the national and international level.
  3. Fortify the relationship of the local communities and support groups working within the anti-APECO movement.  
  4. Gather additional support for the anti-APECO struggle.

Bishop Felix Gmür, from the Diocese of Basel, Switzerland  participate in the mission, together withHelena Jeppesen (Fastenopfer). They are also joined by Floor Schuiling of MM-Holland and Fr. Ben Verbene, MSC from the Dutch Conference of Religious. On the other hand, Philippine contingent is led by the Prelature of Infanta together with the Task Force Anti-APECO, PAKISAMA, National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), Task Force detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Tribal Center for Development (TCD), and the Integrated Pastoral Development Initiative Inc. (IPDI).
 
   
 

The activity logo of the International Solidarity Mission is inspired by Philippine mat or the “banig”.  The Philippine mat is woven from strips of palm leaves, grass, and fiber in exciting patterns and vibrant colors; Symbolic of the diverse cultural patterns intricately woven into an exquisite yet simple tapestry of the unique experience: a   remarkable marriage of East and West, of   ancient and modern, of the   practical and the aesthetic.  The stylized “banig” is an expression of modernity as well as the need for solidarity and unity at the present.

Like the “banig”,  we used an explosion of colors, a symbolism of the many beliefs, cultures, nationalities, and orientations involved in this solidarity mission.

To show that this mission is not only domestic, the arc on the lower right side of the image is a representation of the Earth and Creation, depicted by the colors blue and green.

To show the spirituality of the mission, a cubist image of the crucified Christ can be seen at the center of the “banig”, as being central to the intention of the International Solidarity Mission.