If there is one reason why the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace engagement has reached this far --- and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is already in Congress --- it is because they are truthful to each other.
President Benigno Aquino and his Cabinet are pursuing a straight path policy and the MILF matched it with equal zeal and sincerity.
To date, the only terms of reference (TOR) that bind the GPH and MILF, which they must observe and abide to, are signed agreements including the ceasefire agreement and the mechanism of the Ad Hoc Joint Action (AHJAG). The MILF, which is a revolutionary organization, is operating beyond the pale of the Philippine Constitution. As a non-state actor, it also has certain obligations in relation to international relations. This rebukes the assumption of realism and other black box theories of international relations, which argue that interactions between states are the main relationships of interest in studying international events.
Frankly, we do not want to over-stress these points; it might be taken as provocative to other people, but to us these must be explained explicitly, so that people would understand where we are coming from. The MILF is not only a revolutionary or liberation movement, but it has its own ideology which is Islam and from which ideological, political, organization and military issues are clearly set in proper perspectives. Therefore, the MILF can be very flexible and very accommodating in other matters especially material things, but when principles are involved, we are very consistent. In negotiation, principles cannot be negotiated; only strategies and approaches are.
In clear terms, forcing the MILF to surrender its forces who figured in that unfortunate incident in Mamasapano on January 25 is subjecting the MILF to agree to an unprincipled situation that is not found in any of the agreements of the Parties. Besides, granting that in the beginning it was a “misencounter” between friendly forces or those observing the ceasefire, but later it turned out to be a bloody life-and-death struggle that at that precise moment the parties viewed each other as “enemies”. Therefore, who have fallen in that encounter on either side are considered “casualties of war” and those captured weapons as “war booty”.
Frankly, we can go the extra miles to save the peace process and the BBL and restore sense to the shattered harmonious relations of many people of this country.
Accordingly, we have returned to the government the firearms in our position and we have reiterated our full commitment to work with government to defeat terrorism in this country. But please do not force the MILF to turn over our combatants. This will not only violate the very principles that guide the Parties in their 17 long and harsh years of negotiations, but it also destroys the very core values that we are willing to defend unto death if our integrity as a people and the justness of our cause are violated.
When we agreed to hold peace negotiation, these are some of the basic principles that guide the Parties: mutual respect and parity of esteem, abiding by commitments, equal and fair application of justice, upholding truth, which is self-evident, not to deliberately put the other party into a humiliating position, and help one another in times of crisis for mutual benefits for the sake of the peace efforts.
The Mamasapano incident is indeed very unfortunate; it pains not only the government but the MILF as well. That is why the MILF is not only expressing sadness and condolence to the 18 martyrs of the MILF but also to the 44 SAF-PNP commandos who died during the incident. But we must rise above our emotions and try to appreciate the larger picture of needing to have the armed conflict in Mindanao resolved. And the means to do that is the passage of a good legislation by Congress in the form the BBL.
http://www.luwaran.net/index.php/editorial/item/780-straight-path-and-principled-engagement
To date, the only terms of reference (TOR) that bind the GPH and MILF, which they must observe and abide to, are signed agreements including the ceasefire agreement and the mechanism of the Ad Hoc Joint Action (AHJAG). The MILF, which is a revolutionary organization, is operating beyond the pale of the Philippine Constitution. As a non-state actor, it also has certain obligations in relation to international relations. This rebukes the assumption of realism and other black box theories of international relations, which argue that interactions between states are the main relationships of interest in studying international events.
Frankly, we do not want to over-stress these points; it might be taken as provocative to other people, but to us these must be explained explicitly, so that people would understand where we are coming from. The MILF is not only a revolutionary or liberation movement, but it has its own ideology which is Islam and from which ideological, political, organization and military issues are clearly set in proper perspectives. Therefore, the MILF can be very flexible and very accommodating in other matters especially material things, but when principles are involved, we are very consistent. In negotiation, principles cannot be negotiated; only strategies and approaches are.
In clear terms, forcing the MILF to surrender its forces who figured in that unfortunate incident in Mamasapano on January 25 is subjecting the MILF to agree to an unprincipled situation that is not found in any of the agreements of the Parties. Besides, granting that in the beginning it was a “misencounter” between friendly forces or those observing the ceasefire, but later it turned out to be a bloody life-and-death struggle that at that precise moment the parties viewed each other as “enemies”. Therefore, who have fallen in that encounter on either side are considered “casualties of war” and those captured weapons as “war booty”.
Frankly, we can go the extra miles to save the peace process and the BBL and restore sense to the shattered harmonious relations of many people of this country.
Accordingly, we have returned to the government the firearms in our position and we have reiterated our full commitment to work with government to defeat terrorism in this country. But please do not force the MILF to turn over our combatants. This will not only violate the very principles that guide the Parties in their 17 long and harsh years of negotiations, but it also destroys the very core values that we are willing to defend unto death if our integrity as a people and the justness of our cause are violated.
When we agreed to hold peace negotiation, these are some of the basic principles that guide the Parties: mutual respect and parity of esteem, abiding by commitments, equal and fair application of justice, upholding truth, which is self-evident, not to deliberately put the other party into a humiliating position, and help one another in times of crisis for mutual benefits for the sake of the peace efforts.
The Mamasapano incident is indeed very unfortunate; it pains not only the government but the MILF as well. That is why the MILF is not only expressing sadness and condolence to the 18 martyrs of the MILF but also to the 44 SAF-PNP commandos who died during the incident. But we must rise above our emotions and try to appreciate the larger picture of needing to have the armed conflict in Mindanao resolved. And the means to do that is the passage of a good legislation by Congress in the form the BBL.
http://www.luwaran.net/index.php/editorial/item/780-straight-path-and-principled-engagement
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