UBJP political party will not be a ‘trapo’—MILF

From the pro-CPP Davao Today (Jan 3): UBJP political party will not be a ‘trapo’—MILF

A spokesperson of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the newly-formed political party of Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said that UBJP will not be a traditional political party.

In a phone interview Friday, Sammy Al-Mansour, secretary general of United Bangsamoro Justice Party, told DavaoToday that MILF’s political party “adheres to its distinct brand of ideology uniquely for the Bangsamoro people.”

“Our party has its own ideology and platforms for the Bangsamoro people and it has the support from the grassroots members,” said Al-Mansour, adding that “UBJP will engage in various activities as a social movement.”

He enumerated five UBJP political platforms that makes it distinct from other political parties: it has to be ran and managed by the Bangsamoro for the Bangsamoro people; it has to be pro-people and inclusive; it has its own standards of discipline; it should have human resources above all forms of assets; and  it has to be service-oriented.

Al-Monsour said the party platform is “principled politics for the Bangsamoro people and it will be guided by its Constitution and by-laws.”

“If this will be materialized, the people will be able to differentiate the UBJP from other political parties in the country,” he quipped.

“All members will have to undergo a continuous political training to make them capable in dealing with the party’s affairs and governance so that they will prepare themselves as future leaders of the Bangsamoro,” stressed Al-Mansour.

The United Bangsamoro Justice Party held its first general assembly last December 23-25, 2014 at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, a known territory of the MILF.

According to Al-Mansour, the said gathering is conducted as compliance to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) order but aside from compliance to the order, he claimed, that it also seeks to gather volunteers for the party.

An article posted at MILF’s website luwaran.com said the assembly had enlisted more than 100,000 volunteers and supporters coming from various areas in Mindanao.

In his speech, UBJP Vice President for Southern Mindanao Mohagher Iqbal, explained that “now, we have multi-sector companions whom we do not know who are our friends and who are our foes. Politics in the Philippine is divisive and we are humanizing it.”

“Our party has ideology which is unity for the Bangsamoro and for everybody. Our political party is service oriented, not self-interest,” Iqbal, the MILF chief negotiator, said.

Al-Mansour said the “MILF struggle has shifted from armed to parliamentary struggle.”

The UBJP’s gathering was attended by public officials, representatives from sectoral groups, academe and civic leaders.

http://davaotoday.com/politics/ubjp-political-party-will-not-trapo-milf/