Resolution of the Mindanao State University Faculty In Support of the Movement for a Nonkilling Philippines

The Mindanao State University passed on October 25, 2013, the following Resolution “in Support of the Movement for a Nonkilling Philippines”. Considering the historical significance of such document and acknowledging the dedication and commitment of President Macapado A. Muslim, the Center for Global Nonkilling is pleased to reproduce it. MSU has currently 45,990 students and 1,338 faculty.

Rationale/Justification
Whereas: the Filipino people in their Constitution commit themselves to build “a just and humane society” and a democracy “under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace”;

Whereas: “the Philippines adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land and adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation and amity with all nations”;

Whereas: Christianity and Islam are religions of love and peace that command their believers not to kill:

Whereas: violence, torture, cruel and unusual punishment, and the disappearances and killing of human beings cause incalculable human loss and suffering, and are thus prohibited and punishable by law;

Whereas: a life-sustaining, nonviolent, and killing-free Filipino society is a desirable vision and a measurable goal to strive for and achieve for the common good and in the national interest;

Whereas: Principle 13 of the Charter for a World Without Violence adopted by the Nobel Peace Laureates in 2007 calls for “the right of everyone not to be killed and the responsibility not to kill others”;

Whereas: contrary to what may be conventional wisdom, the killing of human beings is not inherent in human nature, and in fact most peoples, including Filipinos, never kill a human being in their whole lifetime; otherwise, the human population would not be continually increasing as it does;

Whereas: the killing of human beings, likened to a disease by the World Health Organization, can be prevented, mitigated, reduced, or even stopped under certain conditions; or can be spread and worsened under other conditions, such as when killers are often not apprehended, tried, and punished, and when they enjoy virtual impunity for their crime;

Whereas: the Philippines ranks 129th in the Global Peace Index for 2013 which is a very low score in peacefulness and a very high score in violence and killing among 158 countries in the world included in the global survey;

Whereas: Filipinos in general take pride in their unity, peacefulness, and cooperation for their common good;

Whereas: the Movement for a Nonkilling Philippines, organized in 2009, is dedicated to Building A Nonkilling or Killing-Free Philippines: Tungo sa Kalinaw at Walang Pagpatay, with the following Vision and Mission Statement:

Vision
Building a nonkilling or killing-free Philipines marked by the absence of killing, threats to kill, and conditions conducive to killing.

We are to be pursue this vision in relation to our constitutional vision of building “a just and humane society” and a “democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace,” where our people’s human rights are guaranteed and protected.

A nonkilling Philippines is possible because, in fact, most Filipinos, like other peoples, never kill in their whole life time. They want to live in dignity, peace and progress.

Like a disease, human violence is preventable and it can be minimized and checked under certain conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

By building a nonkilling Philippines we are helping build a killing-free world.

Mission
So let us all help build a nonkilling Philippines in relation to our vision of building a life-sustaining, just and humane society, and a democratic and republican State.

Let us observe the right of every Filipino to live, and the responsibility never to kill anyone.

Let us create and sustain the conditions that will reduce violence and killing to the utmost. And remove as fully the conditions that lead to violence and killing.

Let us recognize our nonkilling communities as worthy of emulation, and help other communities remove their life-threatening conditions.

And let us cooperate with all nations in building a killing-free world for the good of all humankind.

Whereas: the recording, monitoring, and mapping of the killing of human beings in the Philippines, for various reasons or causes, leave much to be desired: so that Filipinos do not know the true incidence of different kinds of violence and killings in various parts of the country and the entire country from year to year;

Whereas: serious efforts to prevent, discourage and reduce violence and various kinds of killings, and to punish their perpetrators, are hampered or obstructed by lack of reliable information and knowledge about their incidence and their probable causes and attendant conditions;

Whereas: the Philippines is now one of an increasing number of countries around the world whose writers, artists, journalists, scholars, scientists, religious, and other citizens and leaders are now engaged in building nonkilling societies and thereby also a nonkilling world

WHEREFORE: The Mindanao State University Faculty hereby join the Movement for a Nonkilling Philippines and pledge to actively support its vision, mission, and program. Likewise, the Mindanao State University Faculty fully support the Global Movement for a Nonkilling World.

DR. MACAPADO A. MUSLIM, President, Mindanao State University
October 25, 2013