This is the weekly "Oasis News" of Silsilah Dialogue Movement for our friends and linkages printed also to a local newspaper of Zamboanga City (Mindanao, Philippines). It is our way to maintain the LINK (Silsilah) with you. You can find this news and the previous Oasis News in our official site www.silsilahdialogue.com. Feel free to publish this news if you find it relevant. We appreciate your comments and suggestions. Thanks.
5th Week -November 30, 2011
Prof. Alzad Sattar: A Basileño Muslim Leader for Dialogue and Peace
A proud Muslim, Prof. Alzad Sattar is a graduate of Political Science in Basilan State College and later took his Masters degree in University ofthe Philippines. Prof. Sattar,as called by many, is a professor in Basilan State College since the year 1996 . He is currently the assistant deanof Academic Support and Services and dean of the College of Islamic Studies. He is also an active member of non-government organizationsthat is in line with peace and governance. One of which is Silsilah Dialogue Movement where in he acts as the muslim coordinator of the Inter Faith Council of Leaders- Basilan. As a son of the city of Basilan, he believes that Basilan is beautiful and peaceful place. Aside from its natural bounties like the famous white beach, sea resources and the like, Basilan for him is a a melting pot of diversity of cultures and religion such as the Yakan, the Chavacano and the Tausug. He believes that Basilan is a victim of misunderstanding among faiths, and media sensationalism of terorrism and that these things will someday be surpassed by the Basileños through Culture of Dialogue.
What was the impact of Silsilah Dialogue Movement to you as person?
Prof Sattar: Silsilah actually transformed a lot in me as a person. I remember in the past, I had biases and prejudices against Christians because of a lot of factors. Number one factor is the orientations that I had, that Christians are like this and that and the second factor was the situation that I had experienced. I was born during the Martial law and at that time, many of my relatives died. The people who killed them are the Philippine soldiers who happened to be Christians. This contributed to my perception about the Christians. One factor that also contributed in my biases is the books I read. Like what I said, I was a PolSci graduate and because of that I read literatures that somehow depicted the abuses of the Christian people to the Muslims in the past. But when I joined Silsilah, my biases and prejudices were slowly erased. I realized that a lot of Christians experience the same biases and prejudices as well. At that time, it was clear to me that all of us were victims of the situation and no one wanted to be on that state. Today I apply the spirit of Silsilah in whatever I do. I apply it to my role as a father, as a husband and whenever I deal with my family. I bring the spirit of dialogue in school as a teacher who deals not only to Muslim students but as well as to Christians students. I show to my students that Muslims are good people. In Silsilah, I learned how to understand other beliefs and cultures. Until now, I believe in the spirit of Silsilah and that’s why I am still here to continuously promote it to the people of Basilan.
Being the Muslim Coordinator of IFCL- Basilan, what are the different efforts of IFCL in the promotion of dialogue in Basilan city?
Prof Sattar: The Inter Faith Council of Leaders which was launched in July of 2010 aims to promote peace and harmonious relationship among Muslims, Christians and Other living faiths. This obligation served as an inspiration in all of the different activities that we organized within the first year of the group’s existence. To mention a few, IFCL joined a peace rally that was initiated by different sectors including the Basilan Ulama Supreme Council, Prelature of Isabela City, and other NGOs. This resulted positively. In fact, men in uniforms joined us as well. One of the remarkable initiative of IFCL Basilan and Silsilah is the effort in Malawali Island where in there was a conflict between the Muslim community in Carbon and Christian community which is Sta. Barbara. The conflict that happened in Malawali was not about religion, but it was about illegal drugs which escalated to serious violence against each other. The chief of police that time attended on our monthly formation and he asked IFCL and Silsilah if we can do something in solving the conflict between the two communities. We then had informal negotiations between concerned parties which resulted to the decrease of tension between both communities. IFCL also initiated a forum regarding the Basilan Power Crisis as an answer to the incessant power failures in the city. The purpose of the forum was really to find out the reason behind this problem. We invited different sectors, including representatives from BASELCO, form the NPC, the consumers , political leaders, representatives from religious sector and the business sector . The forum was really fruitful. We were able to come up with a Manifesto that indeed made the consumer aware of the problem and BASELCO to be responsive in addressing it. This month, as part of the celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace, the IFCL prepared activities in line with inter-faith dialogue. We will invite reliable Muslim scholars to talk about the Love of God and Love of Neighbor in Islam perspective and a reliable religious Christian leader to talk about it in the Christian perspective.
What is your dream for Basilan City?
Prof Sattar: My dream for Basilan city is to see it as a peaceful province and a developed one. I want Basilan to be a model of a society with coexistence among different people. When i say coexistence, I mean that even they have their own respective community, the respect and understanding is still present. I want Basilan to be a model not only to the ARMM region, but the rest of the country as well. I want to see Basilan prosperous because i believe it has its potentials to be one.