Tuesday, April 16, 2013

MILF: Editorial--So What If....?

Editorial posted to  the MILF Website (Apr 16): So What If....?

If the MILF says there is urgency in finishing the three annexes in order for the parties to sign the comprehensive peace agreement, it is serious. It should not be interpreted as a weakness.

Time is ticking away so fast that it might deprive the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) of finishing its job to write the Basic Law within the allotted timeline. It is common, nay higher, interest that the Moro Question is addressed through peaceful means once and for all. A return to the old counter-insurgency approach will only bring us closer to the other abhorred path.

Let it be known that we are fully aware of the experts’ advice to negotiator not to exhibit their eagerness to finish the process because it will be interpreted as a weakness and the other side would utilize it to force concession. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why there is a semblance of foot-dragging in the current peace process.

Everyone knows that solving this problem will benefit everybody, including the government. Therefore, the urgency and necessity of getting past through this mess should not only be the concern of the MILF but also of the government. In success -- or in failure -- both parties partake of the commodity. This is why the MILF is staking practically everything in the peace process to ensure its success.

However, let it be stated here also that as long as we are not responsible for the delay (or even collapse) of the talks, then so what if that happens? We entertain no remorse on our part; we will not be the villain; and it is very easy to explain our side. The blame will fall squarely on the guilty party.

There is no villain yet at this point in time. We still view the need of the government for more time to study their stand especially on the Annex on Wealth-sharing, which was already settled and initialed by the parties last February 27, as understandable. We know that President Benigno Aquino III is extremely preoccupied with many important things including the forthcoming May 13 national elections. We understand that haste makes waste.

However, it is our hope that immediately after this election, there will be no new request for more time to conduct due diligence study. If a small organization like the MILF can do its assignment very quickly, why not a state. We want to see a quick fix of the three Annexes: power-sharing, wealth-sharing, and normalization.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/editorial/item/312-so-what-if-?

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