Collateral Damage

The displacement of many families, destruction of private residences, public buildings, mosques of worship, desecration of a church and its holy objects in the city of Marawi, are an example of collateral damage.

They were not the primary objectives of the fighting between the government troops and terrorist combatants. But they outweigh the number of killings and capture of intended enemies and targeted sites as well as keeping civilians as hostages. This is morally questionable.

Another example of collateral damage is the hatred and prejudice on both sides. This is what they call social wounds that will only get wider and deeper. This too renders the war as morally questionable.

The terrible horror and hurt that these collateral damages inflict on people’s spirit and sensibilities can hardly be assuaged by the volume of the present relief goods, medical missions, trauma healing and rehabilitation plans however commendable they are.

We need to strengthen and maximize our efforts at mutual knowledge, understanding and collaboration through interreligious and ecumenical dialogues which we in the Bishops-Ulama Conference have been doing for the past 22 years together with other peace advocates. We are concerned that authentic Christian and Islamic faiths that promote justice and peace have become blurred, distorted and ineffective. Sadly, this is the worst example of collateral damage.