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MPC AND IID HAILS BILATERAL CEASEFIRE, URGES VIGILANCE |
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Written by Editor
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Monday, 21 July 2003 |
The Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus (MPC) and its secretariat, the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), joins our weary people in welcoming the bilateral ceasefire forged by the GRP and the MILF on July 19 (Saturday). The ceasefire declaration and the 90-day suspension of the arrest warrants against top MILF leaders are pleasant confidence-building measures expected to lead to formal peace talks in Malaysia.
We now urge the GRP-MILF to continue confidence-building moves on the ground and in policy statements, agree on the dates and substantive agenda of the peace talks and to start in earnest discussions to finally resolve the Bangsamoro question in Mindanao. MPC intends to pursue its efforts in sending in official observers in the upcoming peace talks in Malaysia and hopes to collaborate with international ceasefire monitors in ensuring that the ceasefire will be observed, respected and implemented on the ground.
A new climate of hope and expectation from the people of Mindanao should be responded to. We also note the support of the Malaysian and US governments to fast track the peace process in Mindanao.
We however believe that pressure should not be brought on any of the parties in the talks to sign a final peace agreement. Peace comes from a just negotiated political settlement. We hope that the US offer of US$30 million for the peace process- on condition that a peace agreement will be reached- will not be construed as pressure for any party to craft and sign a hasty and ill-prepared political solution. We urge Malaysia as an ASEAN member and host of the previous rounds of negotiations to actively lead the international party mediation.
We call on Malaysia to organize, equip and send in soonest its ceasefire monitors, and for local groups like the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the Bishops Ulama Forum (BUF), and the vibrant peace constituency in Mindanao to complement and contribute to the Malaysian effort to watch the peace. Perhaps Malaysia can likewise actively seek the partnership of these independent actors in fulfilling its role.
But we have to express our concern that on the first day of the ceasefire, soldiers reportedly seized firearms from “MILF-owned” houses after a clash with “cattle rustlers” in Pagalungan, Maguindanao Province. We urge the joint GRP and MILF CCCH (coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities) to investigate this reported ceasefire violation and furnish a report to the Malaysian monitors soonest. An MPC-led “Bantay Ceasefire” grassroots investigative mission had reported in January 2003 that AFP pursuit operations against “criminal groups” like cattle rustlers and the Pentagon kidnap group often led to
AFP-MILF clashes which damaged the August 7, 2001 ceasefire. We should expose any efforts of third parties or “hawks” within the AFP, the local government units and the MILF to sabotage this re-declared ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire and peace negotiations should also impact directly on the conflict-affected communities in Central Mindanao. Civilians forced out from their homes since February by the Pikit war expect local conditions to improve for their return. But as a field survey last week by support groups of Pikit and Pagalungan villages show, there are no guarantees without a ceasefire holding that returned evacuees will not be caught in cross-fires in their communities. MPC expresses very strong concern on how the core shelters rehabilitation projects had been constructed very close to Marine detachments and military camps. In Brgys. Kabasalan and Buliok in Pikit, for example, civilian core shelters are situated at least 30-40 meters close to the Marine camps. This proximity will endanger the safety of civilians who could be used as human shields in any skirmish.
Returnees will also need immediate food support while they replant and wait for harvest, and for fishing boats and fishing gear to combat floods and the rainy season.
However, the long-term concern of evacuees to remain in their communities undisturbed by war and conflict is a situation that only a just and long-lasting political settlement can guarantee.
We ask our leaders in government and that of the MILF to seize at this other chance in finally settling the long-drawn and costly conflict in Mindanao. The confluence of active international third party mediation and ceasefire monitors; the support of civil society, the church and business for the peace process and the war-weariness and desire for peace of Mindanao’s long-suffering people are factors not before seen in any peace process in Mindanao. To these efforts we pay tribute and our deepest gratitude.
We urge the GRP and MILF leaders and the peace panels to be rational yet compassionate, to be complex in discussion yet be single-minded for this peace process to be successful.
And we urge our people not to let their guard down, to be ever vigilant and actively accompany this process to the hopeful promise of lasting peace in our land.
End.
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