At the 2025 Asia Democracy Assembly, IID launched its Landscape Assessment of UN & Multilateral Efforts and Civil Society Engagement on Counterterrorism and P/CVE in Southeast Asia. 

We welcomed insights from Tanya Boulakovski, Human Rights Officer at MENA Rights Group, who underscored the decade-long misuse of national security frameworks in the MENA region and urged a rethinking of current security paradigms—especially amid the scale of violence committed in the name of counter-terrorism during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

We were also honored to be joined by Prof. Ben Saul, United Nations Human Rights Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, who emphasized the need for deeper documentation on the harmful impacts of counter-terrorism in the region and outlined key challenges and entry points for civil society to shape the global counter-terrorism agenda. 
Special thanks to the Global Center on Cooperative Security for its trusted partnership and support as we work to broaden civil society’s analyses on the abuse and misuse of security in Southeast Asia.

Link to our research: https://drive.google.com/…/1Nn78jBVu0uBrBTlO1sh…/view…

More than 144 leaders and stakeholders from across the Bangsamoro gathered for the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (TJR) Summit, a landmark event affirming that transitional justice is essential to achieving inclusive and sustained peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Participants included representatives from government peace panels, BARMM ministries, Indigenous Peoples (IP), Moro and settler communities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), civil society organizations, academe, development partners, and diplomatic missions. Together, they reflected on the region’s progress, confronted continuing challenges, and identified urgent priorities for advancing transitional justice, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding.

The summit marked the culmination of the five-year TRANSFORM Program of Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), implemented in partnership with Teduray Lambangian Women’s Organization, Inc. (TLWOI), United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD), Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw (BALAOD Mindanaw), and Kalimudan sa Ranao Foundation, Inc. (KFI).

Since 2020, the consortium has worked alongside conflict-affected communities to address historical injustices, identity- and resource-based conflicts, and human rights violations, while supporting the right to self-determination (RSD), particularly of Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs). These efforts have aimed to strengthen inclusive and democratic governance in the Bangsamoro.

Throughout the summit, a consistent message emerged: transitional justice remains the missing piece of the peace process. It is not merely about acknowledging the past, but about dismantling structures of injustice and ensuring that all communities meaningfully benefit from peace.

Keynote messages, panel discussions, solidarity commitments, and exhibits emphasized:

• The urgent institutionalization of transitional justice at national and regional levels
• Empowering IDPs, NMIPs, women, and youth as active stakeholders in governance
• Strengthening mechanisms for truth-telling, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence
• Recognizing oral histories and customary justice systems
• Protecting Indigenous Peoples’ land rights
• Operationalizing the BARMM IDP Law
• Reframing monitoring and evaluation as tools for social accountability and empowerment

Two plenary sessions focused on empowering IDPs to engage in transitional justice and preventing violent extremism in BARMM, as well as fostering innovative approaches to conflict transformation. Presentations on Monitoring and Evaluation and the Guidelines in Advocating for the Rights and Welfare of Displaced IPs further grounded discussions in practical action.

The summit concluded with a collective call to action anchored on six priorities:

1. Full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), including its transitional justice commitments.
   
2. Just and timely processing of reparations for IDPs
   
3. Protection of Indigenous Peoples’ land rights
   
4. Institutionalization of transitional justice mechanisms at regional and national levels
   
5. Genuine participation of civil society and communities in governance
   
6. Guarantees of non-recurrence through truth-telling, accountability, and inclusive development
   

The event culminated in the “Pagpalain Bangsamoro” signing ceremony, symbolizing a shared commitment among government, civil society, and community leaders to actively build a just and inclusive future.

The message was clear: transitional justice is not an afterthought. It is the very foundation of lasting peace in the Bangsamoro.

Outcome document: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/00aff2891f.html#page/4

On 18 November 2025, a regional discussion titled “Myanmar’s Democratic Future and Prospects for ASEAN Engagement” was held at the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) in Quezon City. The half-day forum was organized by the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) in partnership with Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), Burma Solidarity Philippines, and the CHRP.

The dialogue gathered regional and Philippine civil society and solidarity groups for Myanmar to examine the implications of the Myanmar military junta’s planned elections in late 2025 and early 2026. Speakers warned that these elections risk legitimizing military control rather than restoring democratic governance, particularly amid continuing airstrikes, arbitrary arrests, and widespread displacement across Myanmar.

Key presentations included findings from ANFREL’s recent assessment report on the junta-planned elections, insights from Progressive Voice and the Anti-Sham Elections Campaign Committee (ASECC), and reflections from Philippine human rights and civil society actors. Discussions centered on reassessing the junta’s legitimacy and exploring pathways for stronger regional and international engagement.

With the Philippines set to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, participants emphasized the country’s unique opportunity to elevate Myanmar’s crisis within ASEAN’s human rights and democracy agenda. The roundtable session focused on shaping collective advocacy messages and identifying practical strategies to encourage a more principled ASEAN response.

The forum concluded with a shared commitment to deepen regional solidarity, amplify the voices of the Myanmar people, and push for coordinated action to prevent further atrocities. Participants agreed on the need for sustained engagement with the Philippine government and ASEAN to uphold democratic principles and support Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement.

Through this regional dialogue, IID and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to advancing democracy, human rights, and people-to-people solidarity across Southeast Asia.

Members of the Moro and Indigenous Peoples (IP) Community Social Working Groups (CSWGs) convened in Cotabato City on October 30, 2025 to review 13 long-standing land dispute cases in Barangay Kuya, as part of ongoing efforts to promote peaceful and community-led land conflict resolution.

Facilitated through a community dialogue led by Atty. Mia Faller, the activity provided a structured and safe space for parties to revisit unresolved cases. Several agreements were reaffirmed, land boundaries were clarified, and a number of cases were successfully resolved through consensus-building and mutual understanding.

Strengthening Trust and Community Cooperation

The discussions underscored the strong cooperation, trust, and sustained dialogue between the Moro and IP communities in Barangay Kuya. Participants emphasized the importance of continuing peaceful, transparent, and culturally grounded processes in resolving land conflicts and preventing their escalation.

The activity concluded with a ceremonial signing of agreements and a symbolic exchange of cultural tokens, reflecting the shared commitment of the communities to reconciliation, coexistence, and lasting peace.

Sustaining Community-Led Resolution Efforts

Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), together with its consortium partners UNYPAD and TLWOI, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting inclusive, community-driven mechanisms for land conflict resolution in Barangay Kuya, anchored on respect for customary practices, dialogue, and collective decision-making.

This activity was implemented under the project “Inclusive and Democratic BARMM through Transitional Justice, Conflict Transformation, and Preventing Violent Extremism” (INCLUDE BARMM), funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), and the project “Strengthening the Implementation of Regional and Local Peace and Development Agendas” (SPADe) in Mindanao—a collaborative effort with the Philippine Government, financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

For two days, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) convened representatives from the Bangsamoro and national governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), and community leaders for the presentation and discussion of the Research and Policy Proposal on Governance and Security of Tenure over Land and Sea.

The activity served as a platform to critically engage with research findings and policy directions aimed at addressing longstanding land and sea tenure issues in the Bangsamoro, particularly those affecting indigenous and coastal communities.

Day 1: Government Engagement and Policy Alignment

The first day brought together officials and representatives from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and national government agencies. Discussions focused on strengthening the research and policy proposal through technical feedback and recommendations, with emphasis on ensuring alignment with legal frameworks, governance structures, and on-the-ground realities. Participants highlighted the importance of harmonizing national and regional mechanisms to effectively address tenure insecurity.

Day 2: Community and Civil Society Perspectives

Day two centered on the voices of community members and civil society organizations, providing space for sharing lived experiences, insights, and priority concerns related to land and sea governance. These inputs aimed to ensure that the research and resulting policy proposals are inclusive, grounded, and responsive to communities most affected by displacement, marginalization, and tenure insecurity.

The activity also featured photo and video presentations on “Sama Bangingi and Sama Dilaut’s 10 Elements of Indigeneity,” offering cultural and historical context that deepened participants’ understanding of indigenous identity, rights, and connection to land and sea.

Moving Research to Action

Participants expressed hope that the outcomes of the engagement would help translate research and policy proposals into concrete actions—addressing land and sea tenure issues, strengthening partnerships among stakeholders, and supporting the safe, dignified, and sustainable return of displaced communities.

This activity is part of the project “Strengthening the Implementation of Regional and Local Peace and Development Agendas” (SPADe) in Mindanao. The project is a collaborative effort with the Philippine Government, financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

As part of the Stories of Resilience and Resistance Advocacy Roadshow held from September 20–27, 2025, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), together with regional solidarity partners, conducted a series of university speaking engagements across Metro Manila to amplify awareness on the continuing human rights crisis in Myanmar.

The University Speaking Tour was held in three premier institutions — the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and Miriam College — in partnership with faculty and student leaders from departments of political science, social work and community development, peace studies, and related programs.

Myanmar youth and women leaders directly engaged youth and students from the Philippines in candid dialogues about the current political landscape in Myanmar, four years after the February 1, 2021 military coup attempt. Through personal testimonies and contextual briefings, delegates shared stories of repression, forced displacement, airstrikes on civilian communities, and the resilience of youth-led resistance movements across the country.

At Ateneo de Manila University, students participated in an in-depth discussion on the broader situation in Myanmar and the evolving role of youth and women in the struggle for federal democracy. The University of the Philippines engagement fostered a more intimate dialogue with students of social work and community development, drawing connections between grassroots organizing in Myanmar and people’s movements in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the session at Miriam College centered on peace education and women’s leadership, creating space for reflection on solidarity, resistance, and feminist approaches to human rights advocacy.

Across all three universities, the exchanges went beyond awareness-raising. Students raised critical questions on ASEAN’s role, the legitimacy of the junta’s planned sham elections, and the responsibility of neighboring countries in responding to humanitarian needs without enabling military control. The dialogues also opened conversations on transnational solidarity, youth participation in democratic movements, and the interconnectedness of struggles across Southeast Asia.

The University Speaking Tour strengthened people-to-people solidarity between Myanmar and youth from the Philippines. By grounding the advocacy in lived experiences and academic reflection, IID and its partners were able to broaden support for regional action and encourage young leaders in the Philippines to take part in solidarity initiatives for democracy, peace, and justice in Myanmar.

As Myanmar’s young generation continues to make immense sacrifices in their fight against military rule, the university engagements reaffirmed a shared commitment: that solidarity across borders remains essential in defending democratic values in the region.

As part of the Stories of Resilience & Resistance: Advocacy Roadshow on the Continuing Human Rights Crisis in Myanmar and Prospects for a Democratic Future, Myanmar youth leaders and regional solidarity advocates brought their call for justice directly to the Philippine Congress and Senate from 19–27 September 2025 in Manila and Quezon City.

The advocacy roadshow was organized by Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) in partnership with Progressive Voice, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), and members of Burma Solidarity Philippines. The delegation included Myanmar youth and women leaders who shared firsthand accounts of repression, resistance, and the ongoing struggle for federal democracy four years after the February 1, 2021 coup attempt.

As part of the legislative lobby, the delegation engaged with key lawmakers, including Representatives Leila M. de Lima, Arlene “Kaka” J. Bag-ao, Kabataan Party-list Atty. Renee Co all from the House of Representatives, and Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan of the Senate of the Philippines.

The meetings centered on the continuing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, including airstrikes on civilian communities, forced conscription, arbitrary arrests, gender-based violence, and large-scale displacement affecting ethnic minorities and youth activists. Delegates presented updates on the political situation and discussed the implications of the junta’s planned elections for the region.

The dialogues also explored possible avenues for parliamentary engagement, regional advocacy within ASEAN processes, and humanitarian responses that prioritize community-led approaches.

The congressional lobby forms a key pillar of the broader advocacy roadshow, which also includes university speaking engagements and a public forum with the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines. Through these engagements, IID and its partners seek to amplify the voices of Myanmar’s youth, women, and marginalized communities, and to strengthen people-to-people solidarity in the region.

As Myanmar’s young generation continues to make immense sacrifices in the struggle for democracy, peace, and justice, sustained regional engagement from lawmakers and civil society remains critical.

The Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) along with its partners and networks in the broad civil society and peace movement in the region, today join the world and the international community in commemorating  World Refugee Day that was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 on 4 December 2000. Each year, on June 20, World Refugee Day highlights the bravery, resilience and strength of people forced to flee their homes to escape war or persecution. 

This year, World Refugee Day 2025 focuses on solidarity with refugees, where solidarity means honouring refugees not just with words but with actions. It means providing spaces for dialogues and listening to their stories, defending their right to seek refuge and finding durable and dignified solutions to their plight, and collectively finding resolutions to the roots of conflict so they can return home safely.   

It is within the context of this theme that we continue to demand the urgency for a robust people-to-people solidarity for the peoples of Myanmar especially the Rohingya people including internally displaced persons from Marawi City, Philippines, who have been forced to endure the horrific aftermath of the siege of their beloved city eight (8) years ago.   

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) says that approximately 80,300 people (16,070 families) from Marawi City remain displaced since May 2017. Around 70% of the internally displaced population are in home-based settings, while the rest are in transitory sites or temporary shelter communities. With the expiration of leases in recent years, most of these families were forced to relocate or pay rent.  

More importantly, the Philippine government must recognize the critical need to listen to the internally displaced persons (IDPs), Meranaw leaders, civil society, and the broad peace movement in Marawi in order to restore genuine peace and help Marawi finally get back on its feet. 

We take the observance of World Refugee Day 2025 as an opportunity to further extend solidarity and express our concern over the persisting  human rights violations and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar where the people especially  the ethnic nationalities including the Rohingya continue to suffer abject poverty, discrimination and persecution. 

In the case of the Rohingya, data reveals that since 2017, after a massive wave of persecution and violence, nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees have been forced to cross Myanmar’s border into Bangladesh. Cox’s Bazar is the world’s largest refugee settlement and nearly 600,000 inhabitants residing in temporary camps throughout the district are children. Rohingya refugees have also sought refuge in other neighboring countries like Thailand (92,000) and India (21,000), while others are in Indonesia, Nepal and other countries across the region. In Indonesia, even if it is the world’s largest Muslim country, the Rohingya refugees are now subject to persecution, hate speech and abuse by some locals, especially in Aceh where most of them have tried to seek refuge.

Meanwhile, the number of IDPs in Myanmar since the failed military coup in 2021 was tallied at 1.2 million according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).   

As solidarity activists, we support the urgent demand for a review and amendment to Myanmar’s 1982 Citizenship Law and Myanmar’s 2008 sham constitution—seen as a root of this tragedy, for it to comply with existing international norms; end restrictions to citizenship and freedom of movement of the Rohingya people; and urge Myanmar to comply with relevant international human rights and humanitarian law standards and norms, particularly on the protection of civilians in times of conflict, and protection of children, women and minorities. We support the National Unity Government’s (NUG) scrapping of the 2008 constitution and applaud their promise for full recognition of the Rohingya in a future federal charter. 

We reassert our belief that we must address the root causes of the issue and bring into focus the structural-legal discrimination against the Rohingya people. We also situate the recent violence and abuses within the overall dismal state of democracy in Myanmar coupled with long-standing patterns of human rights violations against ethnic civilians by the Burma/Myanmar military in other conflict areas in Myanmar.

Given the appalling lack of firm and strong regional response specifically from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the issue of the Rohingya, regional civil society, human rights and peoples’ movements have to once again assert that people-to-people solidarity can make a difference in the lives and struggles of the Rohingya people. The need to consolidate towards a common position on this issue is imperative. 

On the occasion of World Refugee Day 2025 and beyond, we reiterate the following demands: 

For the ASEAN: 

1. For all member-states of ASEAN to abide by the principle of non-refoulement guarantees, under International Human Rights Law to provide full protection to refugees and asylum seekers including the Rohingya and other ethnic nationalities in Myanmar.
2. Strengthen and mobilize ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) and ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) mandate and mechanisms to tackle the crisis, and the whole democracy issues in Myanmar especially after the attempted coup by the military.
3. ASEAN and the international community must demand accountability and probe the continued killings of activists in Myanmar and call on the junta to immediately stop its violence and unconditionally release the thousands of arbitrarily arrested and detained activists

For the Philippine government and the Bangsamoro regional autonomous government:

1. Address relevant challenges confronting the IDPs, including land conflict and dispossession in Marawi, which affects especially four (4) barangays within ground zero; the urgent needs of residents for access to basic social services.
2. Expedite the compensation process for all eligible IDPs and their families and observe the principles of providing just compensation. We believe that the national government has an obligation to address the issue more comprehensively by looking at the justice claims for the victims of the siege.  
3. Establish a truth-seeking process to investigate the roots of the Marawi siege and documentation of the dead in the mass grave (Maqbara) must be initiated by conducting an independent legislative inquiry on what really happened in Marawi and how billions of budget allocation for rehabilitation of the city has been spent since 2017. 

Today, we pledge our unrelenting commitment to continuously stand in solidarity to help restore human rights, justice, freedom and peace for the Rohingya, the peoples of Myanmar and the internally displaced people of Marawi City. ###

#WorldRefugeeDay2025 #WeStandWithRohingya #WeStandWithMarawiIDPs #SafeandDignifiedReturn

For inquiries: Gani Abunda II: (+63) 9083241195; isaganiabunda07@gmail.com

We, members and networks of the Marawi Advocacy Accompaniment (MAA), composed of bakwit communities (internally displaced persons – IDPs), civil society organizations, women and youth, and Meranaw leaders together with their allies in the broader peacebuilding community today, in commemoration of the 8th anniversary of the siege of our beloved Marawi City, reiterate our calls for justice, truth, human rights protection, and peace towards the full realization of an IDP-centered and IDP-sensitive safe and dignified return of all IDPs back to Marawi.

Towards this, we urge the government and concerned agencies to act decisively.

Eight years have passed since the Marawi Siege, the crisis of prolonged displacement still puts many lives in grave peril and has deprived the IDPs of their rights as human beings. Amid much publicized rehabilitation efforts in the city’s Most Affected Areas, the promise to rebuild the lives of the victims and survivors of the siege remains utterly unfulfilled.

We believe that the issue of displacement, especially one that is driven by armed-conflict, is a transitional justice issue that must deliberately respond to the justice claims of the IDPs by addressing the bakwits’ most pressing needs, redress for the victims and their families, and by supporting our advocacy for durable solution.

Today, we demand that the Philippine government, through the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB), fast-track the compensation process for all eligible IDPs and their families and observe the principles of providing just compensation. We believe that the national government has an obligation to address the issue more comprehensively by looking at the justice claims for the victims of the siege.

Moreover, we appeal to the concerned agencies to urgently address the dire living conditions in the temporary shelters, where many IDPs continue to suffer from inadequate access to basic services. Until today, Marawi IDPs have been experiencing difficulties since our forced evacuation in 2017. There are still unmet needs and challenges while we wallow in cramped IDP camps and shelter communities, such as lack of food and livelihood opportunities, poor sanitation, and hygiene conditions.

We urge both the national and regional Bangsamoro governments to take into account equally relevant challenges confronting the IDPs, including land conflict and dispossession in Marawi, which affects especially four (4) barangays within ground zero; building of large-scale public infrastructures inside MAA.
Rebuilding our beloved city must be anchored on the principle of pursuing truth, justice, and accountability within a transitional justice framework to comprehensively address the roots of festering conflict and to ensure that another Marawi siege or a similar tragic incident will never happen again. Delaying justice for the victims of the siege is resulting in prolonged emotional and psychological trauma to the families and survivors.
To realize this, there is an urgent need to institutionalize relevant peace and social justice measures to end decades of conflict and structural poverty in the region, and most importantly, address the historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro and all other inhabitants of Mindanao.

Eight years after the siege, our calls remain louder:

KAMBALINGAN!

JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE MARAWI SIEGE!

(Kambalingan is a Meranaw term which means ‘voluntary, safe, and dignified return’ of IDPs) ###

Looking back on the Southeast Asia Civil Society Regional Consultation and Dialogue on the 2025 UN Peacebuilding Architecture Review, held in Metro Manila in April 2025 and co-organized by Interpeace and Initiatives for International Dialogue. The consultation brought together civil society leaders from across Southeast Asia, alongside representatives from diplomatic missions and key international and national institutions.

Participants included representatives from the Embassy of Malaysia, the German Embassy Manila, the British Embassy Manila, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila, the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines, the Embassy of Ireland, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Development Programme, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – Asia, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), and the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators.

The dialogue underscored the importance of inclusive and meaningful civil society engagement in shaping peacebuilding priorities, and reaffirmed the value of creating sustained spaces for regional exchange and collaboration.