Tuesday, July 8, 2014

MILF: BM caucus conveys stand on BBB Delay

From the MILF Website (Jul 8): BM caucus conveys stand on BBB Delay



Solidarity Mission to Mindanao. A delegate warmly confers with the representatives of local advocacy organizations based in Central Mindanao, including the Bangsamoro Caucus, during the “Solidarity Mission to Mindanao,” an RTD conducted by the Initiative for International Dialogue (IID) on July 2 at Cotabato City as part of its "Friends of the Bangsamoro" Campaign.

The Bangsamoro Caucus conveyed its official stand on the current delayed status of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as it is still stranded at the Office of the President (OP) during the “Solidarity Mission to Mindanao,” a half-day Round Table Discussion (RTD) conducted by the Initiative for International Dialogue (IID) on July 2 at Cotabato City.
  
This was in response to the restive pronouncements of some sectors invoking transparency and thereby calling for the full disclosure and publication of both the BTC’s original draft and the OP’s “castrated” version of the BBL.

“Transparency is never an issue among us. We trust our leaders in the MILF. Hence, we can always wait for whatever they may advise us,” said Datu Habib Sharifuddin Maulana of the Caucus secretariat.

His statement even confirmed the Caucus’ tacit reservation and option to take exception from the bandwagon of “cynics” and instead appeals for sobriety in the midst of this hullabaloo over the alleged BBL “secrecy” by both parties.

It was conveyed timely with the visit of IID’s partners from Southeast Asia that same date for a “Solidarity Mission to Mindanao” as part of its “Friends of the Bangsamoro” Campaign, IID’s joint undertaking with the local advocacy groups and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict in Southeast Asia (GPPAC-SEA).

The Mission aims to help mobilize popular support for the successful conclusion of the GPH-MILF peace negotiation and the eventual passage of the BBL into law in congress. It consisted of delegations from East Timor, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and one from the Netherlands.

According to them, the delegates were very grateful as the Mission has accorded them opportunity to interact with different local advocacy groups here in Central Mindanao including UNYPAD, AFADMin, MAPAD, MHINRAC, BCJP, Kabalikat Civicom, Seed Foundation, MWDECC, KASAMA, Al-Ihsan and MAP.

They were happy to share their people’s respective experiences as they are also struggling for right to self-determination in their own countries and to know more about the struggle of the Moro people which have reached another milestone when CAB was signed between the GRP and the MILF last April 27, this year. 

The delegates were amazed by the stable status of CSOs here, their strong linkages and convergence between and among them on the common advocacy for the Bangsamoro.

A delegate from Thailand particularly from the district of Pattani is stricken with awe upon knowing how the struggle of the Bangsamoro have reach this far. Thai Muslims in Pattani as well as in Yala and Narathiwat of the south of Thailand also experience related ethnic and religious discrimination.  

The RTD was facilitated by UNYPAD and MAPAD, both are local partners for local and international advocacy works of IID, a regional solidarity and advocacy organization based in Davao City.

Bangsamoro Caucus is a consortium of seven local NGOs based in Central Mindanao engaged in advocacy convergence in the community and national legislature. Specifically, it aims to consolidate and integrate grass root advocacy works in the localities as well as gain legislative support to the BBL in congress. 

UNYPAD, MAPAD, AFADMin and MWDECC are convenors of the Bangsamoro Caucus.

http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/1078-bm-caucus-conveys-stand-on-bbb-delay

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