The Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus (MPC) organized on Saturday, March 28, a caravan for peace in Cotabato City, exactly a year after the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) at Malacańan Palace, Manila, on March 27.
The peace caravan started after the Friday congregational prayer at the Sultan Bolkiah Grand Mosque, Bubong, Cotabato City and proceeded to Tantawan Freedom Park, at the foot of Pedro Colina Hill, Cotabato City, where they held a short program.
Abdulbasit “Bobby” Benito, Secretary General of MPC said that the activity is in commemoration of the signing of CAB which he believes as the best and acceptable formula for peace in the Mindanao conflict.
“The CAB is a complete package formula for peace and it brings justice to the decades-old conflict and violence in our communities in Mindanao,” he said.
The Lumpingan, a people’s organization based in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, that joined the peace caravan rally at the Tantawan Freedom Park, recalled some attempts made by the Philippine government in resolving the conflict in Mindanao.
Lumpingan President Mods Tuan said “President Marcos during his Martial Law regime put-up the Lupong Tagapagpaganap ng Pook (LTP) to address the grievances of the Moros and when his reign ended due to the February 1986 People Power, President Corazon Aquino, mother of incumbent President Benigno C. Aquino III, created a Constitutional Commission that paved the way for the enactment of Republic Act 9054 which established the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) but all of these failed to resolve the Mindanao problem.”
He lamented that these formulas did not prospered because it was unilaterally introduced to the Moros by imperial Manila—laws that were never in consonant with the true aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.
“The BBL was crafted by representatives of the Bangsamoro people founded on our right to self-determination for self-rule,” Tuan said.
“This is the genuine formula that can best answer our long clamor for peace, justice and progress,” Tuan added.
Mahdie Amella, Chairman of Sulong Bangsamoro Movement (SBM) called on congress to immediately pass the BBL. “Prolonging and/ or delaying the passage of the BBL will also prolong the sufferings of Moro people,” Amella said. “We appeal to Congress to pass this law,” he further said.
An evacuee from Maguindanao spoke on the plight of internally-displaced families in15 municipalities of Maguindanao province affected by “all-out offensive” of the military declared last February 25 against the Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters (BIFF), barely a month after the bloody encounter between the Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police (SAF-PNP) and the armed groups in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, on January 25.
He said that, they are already tired of evacuating every now and then; every time there are military offensives or firefight between the military and rebel groups. While inside evacuation centers, they lack food, clean water and medicines for ailing members of families, mostly the children and the elderly.
Meantime, in an interview with Barangay Kagawad Saidi Ali Malik of Barangay Datu Kilay, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, who was displaced many times in the past, said that children and the elderly are getting sick already, some evacuees are starving too due to lack or absence of food supplies. Their source of livelihood, a ‘mongo’ or ‘beans farm’ supposedly ready for harvest this month was gone to waste due to lack of access going to their farm”.
He asked the authorities to stop the offensive and let the IDP’s go back to their communities and live peacefully.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/818-mindanao-csos-commemorate-cab-1st-anniversary
Abdulbasit “Bobby” Benito, Secretary General of MPC said that the activity is in commemoration of the signing of CAB which he believes as the best and acceptable formula for peace in the Mindanao conflict.
“The CAB is a complete package formula for peace and it brings justice to the decades-old conflict and violence in our communities in Mindanao,” he said.
The Lumpingan, a people’s organization based in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, that joined the peace caravan rally at the Tantawan Freedom Park, recalled some attempts made by the Philippine government in resolving the conflict in Mindanao.
Lumpingan President Mods Tuan said “President Marcos during his Martial Law regime put-up the Lupong Tagapagpaganap ng Pook (LTP) to address the grievances of the Moros and when his reign ended due to the February 1986 People Power, President Corazon Aquino, mother of incumbent President Benigno C. Aquino III, created a Constitutional Commission that paved the way for the enactment of Republic Act 9054 which established the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) but all of these failed to resolve the Mindanao problem.”
He lamented that these formulas did not prospered because it was unilaterally introduced to the Moros by imperial Manila—laws that were never in consonant with the true aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.
“The BBL was crafted by representatives of the Bangsamoro people founded on our right to self-determination for self-rule,” Tuan said.
“This is the genuine formula that can best answer our long clamor for peace, justice and progress,” Tuan added.
Mahdie Amella, Chairman of Sulong Bangsamoro Movement (SBM) called on congress to immediately pass the BBL. “Prolonging and/ or delaying the passage of the BBL will also prolong the sufferings of Moro people,” Amella said. “We appeal to Congress to pass this law,” he further said.
An evacuee from Maguindanao spoke on the plight of internally-displaced families in15 municipalities of Maguindanao province affected by “all-out offensive” of the military declared last February 25 against the Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters (BIFF), barely a month after the bloody encounter between the Special Action Forces of the Philippine National Police (SAF-PNP) and the armed groups in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, on January 25.
He said that, they are already tired of evacuating every now and then; every time there are military offensives or firefight between the military and rebel groups. While inside evacuation centers, they lack food, clean water and medicines for ailing members of families, mostly the children and the elderly.
Meantime, in an interview with Barangay Kagawad Saidi Ali Malik of Barangay Datu Kilay, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, who was displaced many times in the past, said that children and the elderly are getting sick already, some evacuees are starving too due to lack or absence of food supplies. Their source of livelihood, a ‘mongo’ or ‘beans farm’ supposedly ready for harvest this month was gone to waste due to lack of access going to their farm”.
He asked the authorities to stop the offensive and let the IDP’s go back to their communities and live peacefully.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/818-mindanao-csos-commemorate-cab-1st-anniversary
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