Inaugural Brayton Wilbur Jr. Memorial Fellows

In December, 2009, Dr. Forrest McGill, the Asian Art Museum’s Chief Curator and Wattis Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art, and Dr. Qamar Adamjee, Associate Curator, visited India to re-connect with directors of that nation’s most prominent museums. They also identified subsequent recipients of the Brayton Wilbur, Jr. fellowship from India to the U.S.

Asia Foundation Trustee Judith Wilbur generously established a fellowship in Asian Art in honor of her late husband and former Trustee, Brayton Wilbur, Jr. The fellowship stems from the Wilburs’ deep interest in Asian art, nurtured through their residence and travel in the region, and their commitment to the work of The Asia Foundation and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (AAM). The two institutions are collaborating in the program’s execution, with AAM identifying qualified fellowship recipients, and The Asia Foundation’s Asian American Exchange unit responsible for overall administration.

Jay Xu named Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellow

Prior to becoming Director of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in 2008, Dr. Jay Xu was Pritzker Chairman of the Department of Asian and Ancient Art at The Art Institute of Chicago. He is a dedicated scholar of Chinese antiquities and a curator committed to sharing his extensive knowledge of Asian art with a wide audience. The award of the Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellowship in 2009-10 supported Dr. Xu’s travels in Asia to meet with directors of major museums, explore interest in the proposed Directors Forum, and develop appropriate topics for presentation and discussion at the forum.

Established by the late Asia Foundation President Emeritus Ambassador Haydn Williams, the Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellows in Asian Art Program honors his late wife, whose interest in Asian art was stimulated by their travels together on Asia Foundation visits to the region. Mrs. Williams was also a founding docent at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the cooperating partner in implementing the fellowship program.

Changing the Landscape of Politics in the Philippines

On the night of Sept. 1, 2009, Vicente Valera, former governor of Abra – a province in Northern Luzon in the Philippines – was arrested in his posh Rockwell condominium in Makati, Metro Manila. Valera is now the prime suspect in the murder of Congressman Luis Bersamin, Jr. The murder took place Dec.16, 2006, just prior to the campaign season for the May 2007 local elections, and is widely seen as election-related. Investigators are still looking into the motives behind the Bersamin slaying; they have not ruled out political motives related to unrest in Abra nor the rumors that Bersamin would run for another term. (more…)

Ondoy’s Onslaught: Philippines Battered By Typhoon

The international media tracked Tropical Storm Ketsana as it moved westward through the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and then into Laos where it was finally degraded to a tropical depression. The impact of Tropical Storm Ondoy (as it is known in the Philippines) on Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces has been severe. Over 600,000 people have been affected, with almost 400,000 at the evacuation centers, and some 246 deaths (including some rescuers who were lauded as heroes). In the welter of continuing stories and the addition of stories from mainland Southeast Asia as Ketsana hits Vietnam and Cambodia, what can we take away from this disaster? (more…)

Coronations, Clan Organizing, and Conflict Resolution: Moving Toward a More Peaceful Mindanao

This past July, the community of the Islamic City of Marawi gathered to celebrate the enthronement of Attorney Saidamen B. Pangarungan as Sultan of Madaya. For over 10 years the leadership of the Sultanate of Madaya was vacant because of conflict between the Sarip Batua and Datu a Pitiilan family clans. Through the efforts of a local NGO, Reconciliatory Initiatives for Development Opportunities (RIDO Inc.), the council of elders of each sub-clan was reconciled after the decade-long dispute, and reunited the entire clan. This astonishing reconciliation culminated in the ceremony we witnessed that July day in Marawi City.

The enthronement rites of the Sultanate of Madaya was a colorful showcase of Meranao culture.

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The enthronement ceremony was attended by over 200 people.

As the datus, baes, and other royal dignitaries paraded in their traditional attires and ornaments, I noted the special guests in attendance included the Sultan Monsing Macabando (Chairman, Marawi Sultanate League), Sultan Haron Pango Tomawis, Sultan Haji Mohammad Ali Asghar Bin Sani (Royal Sultanate of Marawi City), and many others. At the event, the Sultan of Marawi City, Sultan Asgar Sani, thanked The Asia Foundation and his guest, Dr. Steven Rood, for helping him and other Sultanates in Lanao in resolving their clan conflict, or rido.

In the Philippines, the traditional governance structure of Meranao society focuses on a Sultan. Charged with the obligation to implement traditional laws, the Sultan is both a secular and religious leader who meets specific criteria including lineal origin and faith, and whose authority is sanctioned by the Quran and the Sunnah. The new Sultan of Madaya, Saidamen B. Pangarungan, who was also a former governor of Lanao del Sur, was one of a few family members of the Sarip Batua and Datu a Pitiilan clans who had a legitimate claim to the Sultanate of Madaya. The son of a Sultanate, he is also married to Princess  Johayra Diamond Ali Pacasum Pangarungan, Baialabi a Gaus sa Ranao and former assemblywoman of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

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The newly-crowned Attorney Saidamen B. Pangarungan as Sultan of Madaya (center) and his wife stand with The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in the Philippines and the Pacific Island Nations Steven Rood at the ceremony.

Aside from his lineage and former-elected position he is also a practicing corporate and litigation lawyer representing various Filipino and multi-national corporations.

Selecting the Sultan of Madaya was a long and complicated process that included determining the legitimate heirs to the throne, developing of a selection criteria, determining the roles and responsibilities of each royal title, and completing the settlement of previous feuds and negotiations among the royal families. RIDO Inc. facilitated this difficult process through a variety of steps including hosting a series of dialogues, documenting genealogies, and more.

With the proliferation of clan violence in Mindanao, it is hoped that the efforts of the Foundation and its local partners to reconcile the clans will not only reduce incidents of rido in the long term, but also have a significant effect on reducing election violence in the upcoming May 2010 national and local elections. Addressing the large assembly of royal families during the enthronement ceremony, Dr. Steven Rood said that, “united or reunited clans are more capable of maintaining peace and order in their communities and improving governance in their respective areas…Continuous efforts to do so will lessen potential election violence in the upcoming elections and eventually in the dawning of a new era of leadership for this country.”

With support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The Asia Foundation has been working with local partners in designing and implementing strategic interventions to settle clan conflicts across rido-prone provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Sulu. The Foundation focuses on rido that have the potential to interact with separatist conflict or escalate into widespread violence. For instance, in a recent intervention in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, two prominent Sulu clans who were engaged in a bloody feud signed a peace pact ending four years of hostilities. The Caluang and Halun clans signed the peace covenant during a Thanksgiving ceremony (salamat duwa’a) held in Zamboanga City on Aug. 15, 2009. The ceremony, attended by over 200 people, was led by the patriarchs of the two families: former Mayor Hadji Al Hussein Caluang and Hadji Peping Halun, village chieftain of Pitogo in Kalingalan Caluang town. The feud between the two families began with a murder on Nov. 6, 2005. The succeeding retaliations between the two clans left a total of 24 fatalities and 14 injuries. In separate statements from political allies and relatives of the two clans, they noted that the settlement was crucial in preventing more violence in the coming elections.

This reconciliation was made possible through the collective efforts of Regional Reconciliaton and Unification Commission of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RRUC-ARMM), local NGOs Unyited Youth of the Philippines-Women, Inc. and Sakayan Mindanao, with the support of The Asia Foundation and USAID.

The various successes of the Foundation’s partners in resolving rido settlements can be attributed to the use of specific approaches that are acceptable to each local community. While partners may have different strategies in resolving rido, what is common in their approach is the deliberate effort to work with local governments and utilize local conflict-resolution bodies such as peace councils, council of elders, and other hybrid groupings of local chief executives and traditional or religious leaders. Since October 2007, there have been a total of 135 cases of rido resolved by Foundation partners. However, once the violence starts, it’s much harder to stop. Thus the importance of preventing the outbreak of violence in the first place. The newly crowned Sultan of Madaya has the responsibility of leading more than 30,000 clan members. It is hoped that he will help maintain the peace and unity among his clan as well as other residents in the region.

Yvette Selim is a Rotary World Peace Fellow at the University of Bradford, England. She recently served as an Intern in the Conflict Management Unit of The Asia Foundation’s office in the Philippines.

Octavio Dinampo awarded The William P. Fuller Fellowship in Conflict Resolution

Professor Dinampo of Sulu, Mindanao, the fourth recipient of the William P. Fuller Fellowship in Conflict Resolution, teaches political science and history at Mindanao State University – Sulu. He has been an active participant in peace building, conflict resolution and community development activities in association with various local and international organizations. Professor Dinampo has played a key role in resolving a number of rido (clan conflicts) in Mindanao and was a 2008 recipient of the “Peace Weaver Award.” Under Asia Foundation auspices, Professor Dinampo was a Visiting Scholar at American University’s School for International Service, where he conducted research on the topic of “Conflict and Peace Building in Mindanao.” Following the research affiliation, the Foundation arranged for Mr. Dinampo to meet with scholars and practitioners in conflict resolution on the West Coast and in Thailand.

This tribute reflects the organization’s long-standing interest in the field and Dr. Fuller’s personal concern for furthering the professional development of a cadre of young Asians with leadership potential and a commitment to advancing knowledge and experience regarding the management of sub-national conflicts.The fellowship award supports a six-month professional affiliation with a relevant institution in the U.S. arranged by The Asia Foundation. The program may also include visits to selected cities in the US and in some cases, Asia, for additional meetings with specialists.

Corazon C. Aquino 1933-2009, now history

The passing of former Philippine President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino has evoked strong emotions. Many – Filipino and foreigner alike – have written their thoughts and assessments since she died last weekend, some with mixed feelings one has when powerful memories have been stirred.

Like most Filipinos, I never met “Cory” but came to know her first by her voice over the radio (yes, radio, as television coverage of the opposition to the Marcos government was decidedly scarce) while I was a professor at the University of the Philippines. One night in February 1986, while tuning in to the Catholic station, Radio Veritas, to hear her nightly announcement of protest actions against the fraudulent presidential election that had been rigged by Ferdinand Marcos, to our astonishment we heard Defense Secretary (now Senator) Juan Ponce Enrile and Constabulary Chief (now former President) Fidel V. Ramos discussing their actions in rising up against President Marcos. Thus followed days of anxiety, hope, excitement, and, finally, joy, as a bloodless ouster of a long-time dictator was accomplished. “People Power” had triumphed. (more…)

Measuring President Corazon Aquino’s Presidency

In early 1992, toward the end of the administration of President Corazon Aquino, I participated in a Cabinet meeting where the discussion focused on her administration’s achievements and failings. Discussion was lively, and at times heated. There was much detailed argumentation on vision, strategy, programs, policy reforms, and delivery. President Aquino, as was her wont, listened patiently to the arguments, interjecting comments only occasionally and briefly. (more…)

Lee Nae-ok named Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellow

As the second Fellow from Asia, Dr. Lee Nae-ok, Head of the Asian Art Dept, the National Museum of Korea, and Director of the Daegu National Museum, collaborated with Dr. Cheeyun Kwon, the Asian Art Museum’s Curator of Korean Art in reviewing the Korean collection. His three-week affiliation aided preparations for a planned rotation of the exhibition in the galleries. According to Dr. Kwon, “Dr. Lee’s expertise (was) invaluable in showcasing the Asian’s collection of Korean art, one the finest in the U.S.”

Established by the late Asia Foundation President Emeritus Ambassador Haydn Williams, the Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellows in Asian Art Program honors his late wife, whose interest in Asian art was stimulated by their travels together on Asia Foundation visits to the region. Mrs. Williams was also a founding docent at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the cooperating partner in implementing the fellowship program.

Yoko Woodson named Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellow

The first recipient of the fellowship, Dr. Yoko Woodson, the Asian Art Museum’s Curator of Japanese Art, traveled to Japan for several weeks. During her visit, she worked with curators at Eisei Bunko Museum of the Hosokawa Family, examining the collection and helping to identify objects for display in the Asian Art Museum’s 2009 exhibit, Lords of the Samurai. Dr. Woodson also examined collections in Kumamoto Castle, home of the Hosokawa Family for more than 300 hundred years, and other sites in Kyushu relevant to the Hosokawa heritage.

Established by the late Asia Foundation President Emeritus Ambassador Haydn Williams, the Margaret F. Williams Memorial Fellows in Asian Art Program honors his late wife, whose interest in Asian art was stimulated by their travels together on Asia Foundation visits to the region. Mrs. Williams was also a founding docent at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the cooperating partner in implementing the fellowship program.