Aquino hopes Bangsamoro Agreement will help promote peace in ASEAN region

From the Philippine News Agency (May 11): Aquino hopes Bangsamoro Agreement will help promote peace in ASEAN region

President Benigno S.Aquino III shared the Philippine experience in the successful signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), hoping that it will serve as a model to other ASEAN countries dealing with similar problems with separatist groups.

In his intervention during the ASEAN Summit Plenary held at the Ruby Hall of the Myanmar International Convention Center here on Sunday, President Aquino stressed that the recent CAB signing motivates the Philippines to share insights on peace, conflict resolution, and reconciliation with ASEAN neighbors.

"The Philippines hopes that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro adds to the body of experience that can inform conflict-resolution practices in ASEAN moving forward,” he said.

"Peace in any part of the world redounds to the benefit of all. As peace in the Bangsamoro lays the foundations of stability, inclusivity, and progress in Mindanao, more doors of opportunity are opened -- for the people of Mindanao, for the entire Philippines, and for partners and friends who wish to contribute to development,” he said.

He noted that the success of the peace process thus far contributes to ASEAN’s growing experience and best practices in the promotion of a culture of peace and respect for diversity.

"Included in our work to establish a strong, stable, and peaceful ASEAN Community is the task of building on the values and best practices of our institutions in addressing intra-, inter-, and regional conflicts. Peace is a fundamental concern of all nations; sharing best practices then allows us to address problems and challenges more comprehensively,” he said.

The President also took the opportunity to express gratitude to fellow ASEAN countries who played important roles in sealing a peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) last March 27.

He thanked Malaysia, in particular, for facilitating the negotiations between the Philippine government panel and the MILF; as well as Brunei and Indonesia, for playing instrumental roles as members of the International Monitoring Team.

In his statement, the President stressed the hardships of civilians, especially the vulnerable ones such as mothers and children in times of conflict, recounting the experience of MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and his family.

"The signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro was the first such occasion that Chairman Murad’s wife had ever visited our capital, Metro Manila. Both of them had witnessed many years of conflict—years during which Chairman Murad and his companions had to isolate their loved ones in special communities to protect them from the ravages of conflict,” he said.

"In these situations, whether for those engaged in conflict or others, the paramount human interest, has always been to keep families alive and healthy. For leaders like ourselves, the paramount interest is very similar: to minimize, or even prevent, loss of life and casualty, and to ensure that communities remain whole, and that development is sustained,” he added.

In an embodiment of the Philippines' desire to contribute to building peace in the regional community, President Aquino discussed the Philippines’ hosting of the first Symposium of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation on April 7 and 8.

"This is in line with the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint, which sets out to establish ASEAN’s experiences and best practices on peace, conflict management, and conflict resolution, as well as to enhance cooperation among ASEAN think tanks on the subjects of peace, conflict management, and conflict resolution,” he said.

He emphasized that the Philippines strongly advocates a more proactive approach towards the pursuit of peace, freedom, and stability.

"Our shared commitment must go beyond research and capacity-building. Efforts must be directed towards consolidating the narratives of peace in our region, and distilling its lessons to forge a consensus and to institutionalize habits of peace-building,” he said.

"We believe that documenting ASEAN’s wealth of experience in conflict resolution and preventive diplomacy can guide all of us in building a stronger, more peaceful, and more stable ASEAN Community,” he added.

Meanwhile, Myanmar President U Thein Sein, during the ASEAN Summit opening ceremony, lauded the Philippines for the successful signing of the CAB saying that the peace deal was a "great achievement."

He likewise congratulated Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, as well as the other ASEAN Member States who contributed towards the CAB signing, adding that the ASEAN nations extended full support for the Philippines' efforts to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=642615