Below is an article published by Luwaran:

Foreign visitors of the Belgium-based Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) from Eurasia and Public Broadcast Services (PBS) are hosted in Cotabato City for a week-long visit to meet peace process principal parties, local partners and stakeholders.

NP is an international nongovernment organization with Headquarters in Brussels actively working on civilian protection and unarmed civilian peacekeeping in the armed conflict situation in Mindanao and the ongoing peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) since 2007.

Jeya Murugan, Senior Program Manager of NP Philippines, during the preparatory coordination meeting with MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) said the visits are intended to highlight and promote the civilian protection and unarmed peacekeeping operations within the context of the GPH – MILF Peace Process.

Murugan also explained the visits provide the opportunity for the various civil society organizations (CSOs) from Eurasia and PBS to appreciate the effective approaches on the ground and successes of NP Programs in communities affected by conflict.

The CSOs from Eurasia and PBS will have meetings MILF CCCH, GPH CCCH, International Monitoring Team (IMT), UN Agencies, local nongovernment organizations, ICRC, ground visits to local ceasefire mechanisms outposts of the GPH – MILF CCCH, and conflict affected communities.

NP is the only international NGO - member of the Civilian Protection Component of the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team for the GPH – MILF Peace Process.

Currently, more than 40 staff, both local and foreigners from Asia, Europe, Africa, and America work for NP Headquarters in Cotabato City and field offices in different areas of Mindanao.

Also members of the IMT CPC are Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (MinHRAC), Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC), and Moslem Organization of Government Officials and Professionals (MOGOP).