Mindanao-wide consultations conducted by the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC), the results of which were given to President Arroyo, have shown the inhabitants of the war-torn region’s strong yearning for peace and desire for the resumption of the peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Already war-weary, the people of Mindanao want peace, not war, prompting them to ask for the resumption of the collapsed Mindanao peace process.

Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, a co-convenor of BUC, cited the survey results’ significance as quoted from the www.mindanews.com Web site.

“One of the important results of the region-wide consultations and dialogues is that the process, which involved more than 5,000 respondents in eight regional centers, has caused the emergence of a collective consciousness on the part of the large number of Mindanaoans,” Capalla said.

Respondents of the BUC survey included Catholic, Muslim, Protestant and Lumad sectors in 311 focus group discussions (FGDs). Its aim is to make sure the “greater participation of the greater number of stakeholders in the Mindanao peace process.”

Upon receipt of the survey results on Thursday in Davao City, the President expressed hope on the peace talks’ resumption between the GRP and the MILF.

“I have already directed (GRP peace panel chair) Ambassador (Rafael) Seguis to conduct massive consultations and dialogues with our people, especially in Mindanao. I am very glad of the output of your consultations so that what he brings to the negotiations will be truly reflective of the people’s will,” said Mrs. Arroyo.

Among others, the survey respondents “want the peace talks to continue and to be in Mindanao, the GRP and MILF peace panels should be seen as having genuine concern for the plight of those affected by the conflict, they are at a loss on the different stand of Moro groups such as the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the MILF, they are looking for sincerity from both GRP and MILF peace panels.

On October 27, GRP and MILF chief peace negotiators Seguis and Mohagher Iqbal, respectively, signed an accord on the protection of non-combatants and civilian properties.