Eid'l Fitr: "If tears can be collected..."

“If tears can only be collected...”

The feast of Eid’l Fitr this year is the most emotional celebration.

Marawi residents, under normal circumstances, could have converged in the oval of Mindanao State University-main campus for their collective prayer.

But with Marawi Crisis still unresolved, they gathered at the amphitheater of Iligan city while others settled in available spaces of evacuees’ host communities.

“Of more than a hundred mosques in Marawi, only three mosques are available for prayers. Many of our imams, like our constituents, are also evacuees,” said Zia Alonto, spokesperson of the province of Lanao del Sur's crisis situation.

“This is the most emotional Eid’l Fitr for us because many of us can’t be with our families for the feast. This is supposed to be a day for forgiveness and thanksgiving, but our situation deprived us the opportunity to be closer with our families,” Zia said.

“I wish this is the last Eid to celebrate as evacuee,”said lawyer Halillah Lao.

“This is suppose to be a day of joy. But we can’t hide that we are in pain; that we are weeping.” said Asnawi Dalidig.

Abhoud Sayyed Lingga, a Muslim scholar and part of GPH-MILF peace panel implementing team, explains that “‘Id al Fitr has two feasts to celebrate: one, which takes place on the first day of Shawwal following the end of fasting in Ramadhan and ‘Id al-Adzha which takes place at the conclusion of the pilgrimage on the 10th day of Dhu-l-Hijja. These are feasts of congregational service and giving charity.”

“The congregational prayer should preferably be in open place to accommodate big size of the congregation, which mosques may not be able to hold and in order for women who are in their menses to be present although they will not be performing the prayer.

The congregational service consists of two rak’a followed by a khutba (sermon). There is no adhan and iqama for ‘Id prayers but there is number of takbir in addition to those that indicate changes of position,” he explained.

“During these festivals Muslims are not only enjoined to remember God by performing the prayer but they should also remember their poor brothers and sisters by giving charity. During ‘Id al-Fitr they are required to give sadaqa Fitr before the start of the congregational service (they can start giving sadaqa Fitr from the start of the fasting in Ramadhan). During ‘Id al-Adzha Muslims who can afford sacrifice an animal after the congregational prayer on the ‘Id day, or during the two or three days that follow. The meat of the sacrificed animal shall be given to the poor and part can be eaten by the family of the person who sacrificed the animal,” Lingga said.

But because all Marawi residents are dispersed in 83 evacuation sites within Lake Lanao and neighboring towns and city, Muslims celebrated Eid in their respective evacuation host sites.

Marawi city, the center of Islamic faith, remains in a lock-down. 
Civilians are not allowed to return yet although military and local government officials intend to gather barangay officials to involve them in checking and clearing operations.

It isn’t over.

The Eid comes but Marawi crisis isn’t over. Its residents are still evacuees.

A month since the siege started, there are now 338,674 persons or 69,321 families documented evacuees, based on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reports. Of these figures, 17,724 persons are located in 83 evacuation centers while 297,110 are in-house evacuees or are staying with relatives and friends.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella told reporters on June 23 and 25, that there are 1,658 rescued trapped civilians; 290 killed local extremist group including 10 foreigners; 271 recovered firearms; 70 soldiers killed in action; 297 wounded soldiers; and 26 civilians killed by local violent extremist group which increases as situation progress.
Another five (5) civilians were rescued on June 25 during Eid's humanitarian pause and a corpse of an imam who died due to illness.
Figures were cited repetitively in several interviews but exclude data on the number of houses burned; unaccounted and unrecovered cadavers at the war zone; and the total of infrastructures damaged or partially damaged.
“Recovered cadavers from conflict area are still subjected to forensic investigation to determine their identities and to help confirm if Omar Maute, reported to have been killed in earlier firefight, is really dead,” said deputy commanding officer of AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command and spokesperson on martial law Gilbert Gapay.
On June 28th, another 17 cadavers were recovered at the conflict zone believed to be civilians killed by Maute group. In this 36th day of armed conflict, civilian casualties rose to 44 persons.
On the other hand, DepEd-ARMM disclosed that "there are also 132 schools affected by this crisis -- 87 of which are public schools and 45 are private. 2,078 teachers are also evacuees and 22,144 students can't enroll yet to their original schools. Many of them are abruptly transferred and were accommodated in other institutions."

Although an 8-hour humanitarian pause was declared to pave for Eid’l Fitr celebration, there will still be continued enforcement of curfew hours, security patrol, and police visibility. 
"On the Eid’l Fitr, there was strengthening of security and additional troops deployed for security measures, even in sites where celebration happens. This is still in line with the implementation of martial law,” Gapay told reporters.

Gapay said, "military offensives continued after the lapse of 8 hours and the humanitarian pause can be lifted if troops’ security are jeopardized, safety of civilians are threatened, and if enemy starts firing and at which point anyone can exercise their right to self-defense."

In a text message to Ranao Rescue team, General Carlito Galvez described Marawi during Eid as at its most silent atmosphere and “could be an opportune to rescue trapped civilians,” said Samira Gutoc of Ranao Rescue Team.

“Declare ceasefire, stop the airstrikes”

In Marawi, the morn of June 23 was greeted with aerial bombardment which contravened the demands of the Maranao civilians, traditional leaders and sultans “to stop the airstrikes"; to lessen the destruction of properties; and, prevent unintended casualties among trapped civilians and hostages.
It continued after the humanitarian pause.

“We appeal to you, Mr. President, to declare an immediate ceasefire and/or to stop the aerial bombing in order to allow the civilians return peacefully to their respective houses, to help them rise again, and to rehabilitate Marawi City from massive destruction,” said the Ranao Ulama Conference in a statement circulated on social media following the consultative meeting of Muslim religious leaders at Cagayan de Oro on June 20-21.

“That for the sake of Eid’l fitr, Mr. President, please show the Muslim community that you respect this forthcoming holy day. We appeal to the IDPs (evacuees) to live in accordance of Islam. Develop camaraderie and friendship, learn to forgive, and always be patient,” they said.

The religious leaders also appealed to Dawla Islamia / ISIS / Mauti Group “to give way by leaving Marawi City in respect for the Eid’l Fitr, to rescue the stranded civilians as well as the corpse inside the warzone, and to allow the civilians to return to their respective houses. We, the Ulamas, are willing to see you for a dialogue, to solve this problem.”

“President Duterte, give us the opportunity and to support in solving this issue," the Ulamas expressed.

They also appealed to Lanao “political leaders to use your utmost wisdom, and help each other and forget any political appellation or intrigues among you. Let the people be your first priority. Strive hard because we, the Ulamas, pledge to unite and cooperate with you.”

“In this Eid’l Fitr, the day of forgiveness, mercy and repentance, we are asking our brethren for forgiveness for any shortcomings, as we share this wisdom with you,” the statement said.

The ulamas urge Muslims to “pray that we can return to our home-base, Marawi City. Hoping to rebuild our Islamic City, and this time, with its true nature - the City of Peace.”

The ulamas believe that they also “represent the appeal of the majority: the civilians who’ve suffered (needless to say), those who’ve lost their parents and children, and the women who’ve lost a decent and modest environment.”