Editorial posted to the MILF Website (Jan 24-31): Judge not by your way
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been mum on the criticisms hurled against it by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). We know it is not beneficial to both organizations if they are dragged into the verbal tussle. However, it is not good either if the MILF allows the one-way verbal assault continues. There must be a brake to it by way of this explanation.
The CPP in its 44th Anniversary Statement released last December 26, 2012 criticized the MILF bitterly for allegedly submitting itself to the supreme authority of the oppressive Manila government. It alleged further that the main objective of the Manila government is to pacify and subordinate the MILF and use it for the political and economic purposes of Manila and Washington. Truth is, this is very difficult to ascertain, but so far, the MILF finds the Aquino administration as real partner in peace-making.
In this write-up, we do not intend to defend or glamorize the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the four Annexes. Such an act is not necessary. The Agreement will prove its correctness or incorrectness in the course of time. History will judge the MILF. Our purpose here is to appeal to the CPP to give the MILF the benefit of the doubt whether its decision to sign the FAB with the Manila government will redound to the benefits of our people, or it is a doomed exercise.
The MILF and the FAB are different from the MNLF and the GPH-MNLF Final Peace Agreement of September 2, 1996, respectively. The leadership of the MILF also differs from that of the MNLF, especially in orientation and approach.
More importantly, we appeal to the CPP not to judge the MILF and its policies and decisions on the basis of the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology. Besides, the MILF and the CPP are coming from two different points. The CPP believes in armed struggle as the sole route to people’s liberation, while the MILF gives armed struggle and non-armed struggle almost equal footing in freeing the Bangsamoro from bondage. We hope this appeal will not be like a voice in the wilderness!
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3060:judge-not-by-your-way&catid=344:gggg
The MILF finally takes aim and counters the incessant criticism levied against it in propaganda statements issued by the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteHere's the bottom line. Not that long ago almost three-fourths of the Philippine military's combat power was focused on Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago to counter the Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah, rogue Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels. This served to ease military pressure on NPA units in other parts of the country.
Truth be told, the CPP does not really want to see a genuine peace agreement reached between the GRP and MILF. It is in the CPP's interest to keep active MILF units in the field in order to divert AFP combat units away froom NPA strongholds.
If a final peace agreement is actually reached and the Moro problem is resolved, the CPP knows that at that point many of the Philippine military's combat units that have been focused on the MILF can be redirected to begin operations against the NPA.