The diversity of the Southern Philippines has always amazed and overwhelmed me since my first visit to the region in 1994.
The sea trade connecting the Arab Peninsula and Insular Southeast Asia had brought Islam to the people living on the coastal area as well as on the river branches in the Southern Philippines in 13th to 14th centuries, leaving aside the people living in the hill side. Christianity had been introduced to the region with the coming of the American missionaries and influx of Christianized people from Luzon and Bisayas.
As a result, it is generally mentioned that there are “Tri-People” in the Southern Philippines; Muslim (or Moros), Christian, and Lumads (or Indigenous Peoples: IPs). And “inclusiveness” of the “Tri-Peoples” has become one the slogans of the MILF which engages in establishing the new autonomous Bangsamoro Government with great fortitude today.
It is at this moment when the historical Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) had just been drafted when I visited the Mindanao from Aug 17 to 27, and conducted interviews with stakeholders. Since my concern had been how the IPs could be accommodated into the Bangsamoro Government, many of my interviewees were IPs.
Thanks to my Moro friend who had facilitated my research, I could interview intensively with around 20 people extending from Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, some staff and members of Peace Panel, Bangsamoro Transition Committee (BTC), Office for Southern Christian Communities (OSCC) of ARMM as well as National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), leaders of the IPs, and academe. This short essay is my personal observation based on the interviews.
“We fully support the struggle of the Bangsamoro”
This was a unanimous opinion especially among the IP leaders, though their positions and conditions varied. The reason behind this sentiment lies the sympathy that they also had experienced the generations of “historical injustices” similar to those of the Bangsamoro’s.
Though rich in knowledge on the usage of the environment and their living world, the introduction of the formal school system had made them “less educated”. Both Bangsamoro and IPs, without having the knowledge on Alphabetical letters and on modern governmental system, nor the concept of private ownership of land, had lost their ancestral domain to those who have them. This common experience has turned them into their respective struggle to correct the “historical injustices” to this day.
Meaning of correcting the historical injustices
Though this sentiment to support the Bangsamoro struggle and longing for peace was unanimous, there were nuanced differences in interpretation of the past and the eventual present.
One of such examples was the interpretation of Mamalo-Tabunaway story. Commissioner Melanio Ulama, calling a careful attention that this was a “Tiduray version”, kindly narrated the beautiful story of the three siblings of Mamalo, Tabunaway and Putri Salabagon, the story of their ancestors. Tabunaway and Putri Salabagon had embraced Islam, and parted away from Mamalo who remained faithful to his faith, but they had a secret covenant to cooperate and unite together had any one of them faced crisis. However, I also heard other version of the story which negated that Tabunaway and Mamalo had been brothers.
Perhaps, there is no one history and it is futile to contend for its authenticity. If we recall back, the historical injustices have always been committed by erasing the voices of less educated, the minority, and the weak in terms of political and military power. If, to correct the historical justices is what the Bangsamoro Government aims for, it has a lot of potential to be “inclusive” to the diversity of histories.
“Boundaries to be the points of understanding and corporation”
During my stay, I was honored to be able to pay a courtesy call on Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim. With his very gentle smile and a firm will, he had assured that the IPs rights should be well protected.
When asked about the most difficult challenge since he had become Chairman in 2003, he mentioned that “to protect and sustain the peace process in times of hostilities was the most difficult challenge,” but “we did not close our door to continue for the negotiation.” Closing the door to the conflicting party and building walls on the boundary to part away from them may be easier than to keep the door open.
This reminded me of the story narrated by one IP leader. Referring to the relationship between the Moro and IPs, he mentioned that that “the boundary between us was not to separate one from another, but it used to be the point of understanding and cooperation”.
I would like to see the future Bangsamoro Government where the doors among the diversity of peoples are open and their boundaries become points of understanding and cooperation.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/guest-article/item/1191-transforming-boundaries-among-diversity-of-peoples-to-be-points-of-understanding-and-cooperation
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.