Reconciliatory Initiatives for Development Opportunities (RIDO) Inc. is a twelve (12) year-old organization founded by people involved in peace-building advocacy operating on a full time or part-time development work. Experiences of the organizational founders showed that development processes are achieved more effectively if done jointly with other social change agents under conditions that facilitate stronger cooperation. Experiences in clan-based peace organizing of various clans organized motivate a lot of the founders to continue the endeavor since it showed remarkable strategies in conflict resolution mechanisms for different forms of localized conflict.
RIDO Inc. has been focused to capacitate the formal and informal state actors to ensure better collaboration in the reduction of clan conflicts in Lanao province as one of the societal divide prevailing in the targeted areas in which only a few institutions, have deep concern towards it. The prevailing issues on the causal relationship of clan disputes include but not limited to poor governance, poverty, literacy, development and unemployment and other forms of structural violence are equally important areas dealt with by the organization so that causes of violence shall be managed if not fully eradicated.
The organization is a registered non-stock, non-profit organization with the Securities and Exchange Commission under COMPANY REG. CN200630844. It has a membership of seven (7) individuals who assemble annually and functions as the highest policy-making body while serving as the Board of Trustees at the same time. Currently, the members of the Board of Trustees are as follows:
Ms. Regina S. Antequisa is currently the head of ECOWEB Inc., one of the NGOs in Lanao Del Norte focused on environmental issues. Ms. Norlayne Atar is currently the finance officer of the World Food Program, an international organization based in the Lanao Provinces. Mr. Halil Amerol is actively working in civil society organizations particularly the Bangsamoro Development Authority as Executive Director in Marawi City. Mr. Luis Adiong is currently connected to the Department of Agrarian Reform and former student leader in Marawi City. Mr. Masbud Gaima is a College of Law graduate at the Mindanao State University and also a human rights advocate and finally, Hon. Anuar Marabur who is currently the head of the City Peace Council of Marawi City.
Management of the organization is headed by a full-time Executive Officer. At present, it is operating with 5 staff members with various volunteers. Combined competence of the staff members, volunteers and the Board of Trustees cover Mediation and Conflict Management, Good Governance, Clan-Based Peace Organizing, Human Rights Advocacy, Youth Empowerment, Peace Education, Leadership, Disaster Management, and Project Development. Apparently, the organization is envisioned to harness the role and strengthen the potentials of traditional structures, leaders, and mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of family, clan and inter-ethnic conflicts for the promotion of a culture of peace. The organization’s mission is to uphold traditional systems, institutions, and values in achieving peace and development.
RIDO Inc. wants to achieve the following goals, to wit: First, to help prevent clan feuding or conflicts and addressing identified causes; Second, to help break the cycle of localized conflict and addressing the effect to its direct and indirect victims especially women, youth, and children. Third, to link different clans of the four confederations of Lanao in promoting a culture of peace. Finally, to ensure proper collaboration and engagement between the formal and informal state actors in addressing the societal divide in the communities particularly local conflict towards peaceful approaches.
Rido: clan feuds - and clan feud resolution
'Rido' in the Maranao language means clan feuds. But RIDO as an acronym is an organization that aims to solve conflicts among clans. The Reconciliatory Initiatives for Development Opportunities (RIDO) Inc. is a seven-year-old organization founded by people involved in peacebuilding, advocacy, and development work. It works to strengthen traditional structures, leaders, and mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of family, clan and inter-ethnic conflicts, and for the promotion of a culture of peace.
The organization is also one of the leading institutions working for the documentation of human rights victims brought by Marawi siege and able to bridge the sentiments of the human rights victims to the mainstream government as the results of the 5-months fighting between the Militant youth group and the government troops in the Philippines. The Marawi siege in 2017 brought 350,000 Internally displaced persons and destroyed not only the properties of the civilians but also human lives.
Meanwhile, RIDO works to help break the cycle of clan feuds, linking different clans of the four Confederations of Lanao in promoting a culture of peace. It is doing pioneering work in partnership with the formal security sectors, particularly providing training for cultural sensitivity and a culture of peace among combatants from the Filipino Army and Police.
The benefits of working with clans
Among certain groups in Mindanao, such as the Maranao ethnic group, organizing peace work by clans helps in the resolution of family feuds and other conflicts. RIDO has resolved more than 300 major and potential conflicts in the past seven years, using a combination of traditional authorities and councils of elders together with community leaders, local government, and the security sector.
RIDO Inc. is focused on strengthening the ability of those councils of elders, and other informal and community actors, to support the reduction of rido, or conflict, in Lanao. Issues related to rido include poverty, literacy and values formation, social inequality, underdevelopment, and unemployment. RIDO also serves as a hub for the cooperation and pooling of clan and community efforts to work for peace and development.
In previous years, RIDO has successfully implemented several programs on peace and conflict resolution funded by USAID and DFID through The Asia Foundation. It has also worked on programs working on rehabilitation and psycho-social activities with children and women in areas affected by the 2003 and 2008 armed conflict in Lanao del Norte, in work funded by the EU. ANT Hiroshima in Japan and Switzerland for youth advocacy and counter terrrism program. There was also a mini-grant from the US. The embassy was successfully implemented by the organization in relation to youth empowerment and preventing election-related violence. Other small grants have been used for work on conflict management, youth programs, and disaster preparedness.
