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Written by Samira Ali Gutoc
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Tuesday, 30 September 2003 |
Two Tausug analysts expressed optimism over the 3-decade peace talks between the government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and Moro rebels (represented by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front). At the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) conflict-resolution workshops held last August 28-September 1 and September 8-11 at the Asian Institute of Managament, former senator Santanina Rasul and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Abraham Iribani analyzed the prospects for peace.
"The prospect of another peace agreement with the MILF should bolster the government's peace initiatives and inspire all sectors concerned to accelerate their efforts to make peace a reality this time," said Rasul during the opening rites of the workshop. Despite "mainstreaming a big portion of the MNLF forces," Rasul described the "road to peace in Mindanao" to be "problematic."
Iribani, in a presentation, raised several questions regarding the peace process:
1- Were separate approaches to the GRP-MNLF and GRP-MILF talks desirable? Iribani cited issues of administrative control, political power, regional security force and territorial coverage. The MILF, he said, was not negotiating on the terms agreed by the GRP and the MNLF.
2- If desirable to converge the MILF and MNLF agenda, is it possible for the MNLF and MILF to dialogue and dovetail their agenda? Yes, it is "possible despite differences in orientation. because there is no bad blood between the two." Similar issues among the two include "Islam, historical defiance, distrust for Manila government and self-determination."
The MNLF and the MILF, Iribani said, must be able to reconcile their positions for a comprehensive peace agreement, not necessarily contained in the Final Peace Agreement (of the GRP-MNLF in 1996). In fact, the MNLF and MILF leaders, Nur Misuari and Salamat Hashim have had "historic meetings" in Malaysia which suggest that there is the possibility of reconciliation. But Iribani cautioned that the Philippine government "should not get involved to avoid double talk and the GRP hast to continue to implement the peace agreement." "Government should not even be part of reconciling the MNLF and MILF because government might be suspected of a hidden agenda."
4- Is it better for the tracts (of MNLF and MILF) to separate? A two-track approach is "practical and might be workable." "This does not defeat the idea of Muslim unity in the country," Iribani said, though "historically there has been no Muslim unity under one political leadership." In fact, the United States (during its occupation in the 1900s) has recognized 3 representations - Maguindanao, Tausug and Maranao. The three tribes have a "different sense of unity and independence based on historic experience, just like the Malaysians, Indonesians and Borneons."
The independence objective (of the MNLF and MILF) since the 1976 agreement (brokered in Tripoli, Libya) remains, he said. Further, there has been "no instance of MNLF and MILF fighting each other."
"The two separate tracts do not represent two separate Muslim tracts" since the two only represent the fundamentalist and secular trends in Islam.
5- Is it desirable/possible to delineate geographic areas? Yes, as it was done during the Marcos administration such as the providing of a Region 9 and 12. "The ARMM is not a viable geographic area (since ARMM-covered provinces in Central Mindanao and Western Mindanao are distant) but not a setback to Moro nationalism. Both (regions) can enter into economic agreements."
Rasul proposed more practical solutions to "begin with education." "We must teach our people that history and the making of our nation did not begin when Magellan landed in Limasawa island. We have to educate ourselves and our fellow Filipinos in the contribution of Islam to peace and our Filipino heritage."
Another speaker, NAtional Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) official Ronald Adamat called attention to the lack of political participation of the 110 cultural groups in the Philippines. He raised the issues of IPs to include "socio-economic emancipation, political empowerment and the promotion of their human rights and rights to their ancestral domains."
USIP senior fellow and workshop convenor Amina Rasul in her speech said "conflicts must be seen in a collective sense." "We have lived the roots." Posing the question, "is it (conflict) intractable?," she answered, "solutions are possible as long as one implements what has been agreed upon."
Workshop participants in the "Building the Philippine Future" workshop proposed alternative structures of governance to consider "federalism" in the Philippines.
Participants came from NGO's in Mindanao and Manila, the NCIP and Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA). Some of the prominent participants included Solaiman Mutia, Assistant Director of the OFfice of Muslim Affairs, Abhoud Lingga, director of the Bangsamoro Studies Institute, Dr. Juanday, head of the Cotabato City-based Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA). YMP members Samira Gutoc and Sandra Isnaji were invited to attend the workshops. The workshop trainors were two seasoned American conflict-resolution speakers.
End.
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