"We are not dealing with an ordinary conflict" | Opening Statement of MILF Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal, 25th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks
We are not dealing with an ordinary conflict
Opening Statement of MILF Peace Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal
25th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Let me start my opening statement by reminding ourselves that we are now threading the most difficult phase of the 15-year old GPH-MILF peace negotiation. We are now dealing with the core of the Moro Question and the armed conflict in Mindanao, which is the issue of genuine self-governance for our people. It is for this reason that we now experience numerous problems along our path. If we are not engaged in real problem-solving negotiation, then we will end up without signing the comprehensive compact soon or at any time during the Aquino administration.
However, what is consoling to us is that practically all the hard issues are on the table and clear to all parties; for instance, power-sharing, wealth-sharing, territory, and interim period. But if we cannot settle these issues soon, surely, we are heading for more headaches. The other elements of the proposed Bangsamoro entity – or shall we officially call it now a “More substate or state” – like the establishment of police, internal security force, basic law, and normalization, among others, are equally challenging. What I am saying here is that we must tighten our belt and continue to deal with these issues head-on, bearing in mind that time is running out, if we are to take into consideration the view of the GPH that the comprehensive compact has to be signed next month.
I want to remind ourselves again that the Moro Question and the armed conflict in Mindanao are not easy nuts to crack. Our negotiation is not about solving an ordinary conflict. What we are dealing here is about a deadly armed conflict where thousands upon thousands of people died or injured, and millions of people became homeless – many of whom have not returned to their original dwellings to this day and their lands are taken over by other people. It is about a home-grown sovereignty-based armed struggle that cannot be simply addressed by giving them cash, houses, or positions in government.
In other words, we cannot just design a formula that is working with ordinary conflict, because the MILF-led struggle is different. The MILF is armed, the MILF, the MILF has the popular backing and support, the MILF has the organization, and the MILF has ideology, which gives its members not only direction and guidance, but the reasons to undertake struggle. We did not join the MILF for the sake of wanting to get wealth and positions in the government. We are not solving our individual, family, or groups’ problem. What we are solving is the problem of the Moros, a problem spawned by colonialism and Filipino neo-colonialism. This is one of the reasons why the problem of Brother Nur Misuari refuses to fly away because he still wants to be in power even after becoming governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and chairperson of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD). Otherwise, if it were not a personal problem, he would willingly pass the buck to the MILF, because he has nothing more to offer to our people, after he agreed to be submsumed by the current system in the Philippines.
On the practical side, do we think the MILF will settle for something that is not lasting and is not sure of really solving the problem? Do we think the MILF is willing to disarm and turn over its “12,500 firearms”, granting this government figure is correct, for something that is not sure to happen?
Certainly, we cannot put the collective interests, security, and future of our people at the mercy or tyranny of the future. We need to be sure that what we sign with the government is the one that really addresses the Moro Question and the armed conflict in Mindanao. A half-baked solution is worse than no solution at all.
For almost two years within the Aquino government, we managed to sign only few documents: four joint statements which were worded almost vaguely and terms of references (TOR) for the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and the Humanitarian, Relief, and Development Component of the IMT. All these documents are certainly important but they are not directly related to the substantive issues of the current peace negotiation that can propel it nearer to its goal. But seemingly we forgot something very important that despite the rough-sailing in the current peace talks, the parties have already agreed on many things especially on the 11-point formulation that the parties have accepted last December 7, 2011, with GPH’s reservations on three issues, as part of the basic principles of the current negotiation. In addition, no less than His Excellency President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III agreed to the MILF’s proposal to create a ministerial form of government in the future Bangsamoro entity provided that those running that state government are elected directly by the people. Are these matters less agreed because they are not signed? To me an agreement is an agreement whether signed or not, because accountability does not only rest with men alone, but most solemnly to God. But in a negotiation, this is not to be treated this way. There is no agreement at all until the parties so agreed and sign it.
For this reason, I wish to invite my honorable counterpart from the government to consider seriously from now on putting all these agreed points including the 11-point formulation above-mentioned into formal documents and sign them, so we can tell ourselves that indeed we have achieved something and we are moving forward. We have also concrete proof to show to our people and the international community that indeed the two parties are serious and are producing results and not just talk, talk, and talk. More importantly, these papers will also form part of the official documents of the GPH-MILF peace negotiation that we can bank and guide us on as we go into the details of the various issues of the negotiation.
On this note, let me thank all of you for lending me your ears as I read through my opening statement. Good morning and wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh!
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