MILF: Editorial--Sense of urgency in talks

Editorial posted to the MILF Website (Mar 24): Sense of urgency in talks

Time and again, the MILF has invariably affirmed that war is not the best option in resolving the Moro Question in Mindanao. This is not simply a cliché. The 21st century calls for the resolution of conflicts by peaceful means. Moreover, this war in Mindanao is simply not winnable for each side, the Philippine government and its armed forces and the MILF and its 12 thousand-man battle-tested mujahideen. We have already seen the devastation of this war for the last four decades --- and any right-minded man or woman would not like this to happen again. The mood of everyone is to settle the conflict with honor, justice, and without delay.

This is one of the reasons why the MILF peace panel refused to agree to postpone the peace negotiation in Kuala Lumpur, as set by the parties, and much more to change the venue. The urgency of concluding the peace talks is in the minds of the MILF leadership. We know that the momentum is there but any dilly-dallying is bringing us closer to the other path. The truth is that if we cannot close this negotiation successfully during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, we do not know what lies ahead in 2016. And more seriously, it can be a menu for more violence and fighting in Mindanao.

Without doubt, President Aquino possesses this feeling of urgency too. Perhaps, his is more than anyone else, we believe, because of many reasons: First, his sense of justice – as did his father and mother – that the Moros are a “wronged people” which requires not only cosmetic rectification but also an honest, fair, humane deal; second, solving the problem in Mindanao is certainly his best legacy that any Philippine president can impart and dedicate to the whole nation; third, he knows that without putting to rest the bloody mess in Mindanao, the Philippine state can never take off as a developing state; and fourth, the war in Mindanao, as stated above, is unwinnable by both sides of the equation: The MILF cannot win the war by conventional means nor can the government crush the MILF, which can always resort to full guerrilla warfare.

This renders the conclusion of the GPH-MILF peace negotiation as urgent business. Any reason to delay it, even if it is predicated by seemingly an honest reason, cannot be given much weight. Like a professional boxer, once inside the ring, he cannot make any pretext; either he boxes or calls it quits --- and loses.

This urgency also relates directly to the tasks and term of office of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which only has one year and nine months remaining in its 2-year lifespan, and within which it has to write the Basic Law, among other two functions, and to secure its undiluted passage by Congress, as well as its ratification by majority of the voters in the proposed Bangsamoro territory.

It is on this premise that we call everyone including the international community to urge all parties to expedite the talks in a deliberate and sure manner. Time is ticking away; once it has passed, we cannot go back anymore. We also call upon them to journey with us until the conclusion of these negotiations.

http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3163:-sense-of-urgency-in-talks&catid=344:gggg&Itemid=542