May 20, 2012 News: The Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI) will conduct three-day training on human rights (HR) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) on May 27-29, 2012.

Dr. Tomanda Antok, Chairman of the BLMI Steering Committee, told Luwaran that the training will be funded and supported by the Non-Violent Peaceforce (NVPF).

The NVPF is a nonpartisan unarmed peacekeeping organization that works to protect civilians and reduce violence in areas affected by armed conflict. In partnership with local groups, Nonviolent Peaceforce members aim to apply proven strategies to protect threatened individuals and communities, deter violence, and help create space for local civil society actors to build sustainable peace.

The NVPF is currently a member of the Civilian Protection Component (CPC) of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) which is monitoring the ceasefire between the MILF and the Philippine Government.

Fifteen (15) participants who possess strong personality from the different provinces of Mindanao shall participate in this first of its kind training workshop.

Resource persons will come from the International Pool of Experts in International Laws.

The training aims to produce young men and women who would be responsible to advocate human rights in the Asia Pacific Region.

However, Tomanda did not disclose whether the newly constructed 2-storey building of the BLMI will be the venue of the training.

The new edifice was built and funded by the Embassy of Japan under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) for fiscal year 2010. Earlier, the Asia Foundation (TAF), the United States Aid for International Development (USAID), and the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) have extended miscellaneous aids including financial and technical to jumpstart its operation. The Philippine government through its peace panel had also voluntarily given P6 million, the main bulk was handed to the MILF peace panel after the Murad-Aquino meeting in Tokyo, Japan on August 4, 2011.