Sadness grips Philippines' Marawi City during Eid

By Roy Ramos

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (AA) - Muslims in Philippines observed Eid al-Fitr with heavy hearts on Sunday after the happy occasion was marred by the displacement of 200,000 residents of Marawi City where conflict between government forces and Daesh-linked Maute group continues.

The fighting in Marawi City began on May 23 when government troops supposedly tried to serve an arrest warrant for the suspected militant, Isnilon Hapilon. The clashes prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire Island of Mindanao under martial law.

At least 67 government troops and 26 civilians have been killed in the fighting as of Sunday.

On Saturday, the military announced a brief cease-fire to allow Muslims in the conflict area to celebrate the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

The deal came after Filipino Muslim clerics had urged President Rodrigo Duterte and leaders of the Maute group to allow a brief reprieve for the sake of Eid celebrations.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said state security forces will observe the "humanitarian pause" from 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. (2200GMT – 0600GMT) on Sunday.

However, despite the cease-fire announcement people said they had been “robbed” of the chance to observe Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in peace.

Zia Alonto Adiong, who is a spokesman of the Lanao del Sur provincial crisis management committee, said: "This local militant group robbed us of the chance to observe Ramadan peacefully, and stole from us the opportunity to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and be with our loved ones in this religious occasion.

"For centuries, this Islamic tradition has been observed uninterrupted until now. It pains us to see families who can't even share meals together, pray together and continue observing this Muslim tradition simply because our current state doesn't permit such 'family gathering' to take place," Adiong was quoted as saying by the local media.

Marawi City Mayor Majul Usman Gandamra told ABS-CBN News said the special Eid occasion still calls for celebration despite the losses being suffered and called on his constituents to continue praying for the end of the conflict.

"We are celebrating it away from our homes and celebrating it while mourning the deaths of our innocent civilians and of course, the government troops," Gandamra said.

Meanwhile, the governor of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Mujiv Hataman, cancelled Eid al-Fitr activities scheduled inside the regional government center in Cotabato City due to threats, saying the body could not put at risk the lives of thousands of worshipers inside the compound.

“Terrorists have absolute disregard for Islamic teachings on respect for life. They attack people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to show capability to harm the hapless and most vulnerable to them,” Hataman told Philippine Star newspaper.

Hataman hoped the situation would improve soon.

“As moderate and peace-loving Muslims, we believe that sometimes we need to get hurt for us to rise and bounce back as better Muslims,” he said.