Iqbal warns non-passage of BBL could spark Muslim radicalism

From InterAksyon (May 19): Iqbal warns non-passage of BBL could spark Muslim radicalism



Mohagher Iqbal: warning, appeal in an open letter. INTERAKSYON.COM FILE

Failure to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) could have the effect of portraying the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as weak and wrong in believing in the peace process, and encourage Muslim radical groups to flex their muscle, thus plunging Mindanao into more conflict, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said Tuesday.

The House of Representatives ad hoc panel on the BBL is conducting three days of voting, on a per-provision process, on the draft BBL, using as basis what critics called the "Malacanang" version, or the second draft that replaced the committee chairman's working draft, distributed last week to the panel members. That first working draft had incorporated all the changes sought by Committee members, based on results of hearings and consultations over the past few months.

The voting in Congress began Monday and ends Wednesday, with those who criticized the sudden introduction of the "Palace version" worried that the majority will use the tyranny of numbers to "railroad" the bill, several provisions of which had been deemed unconstitutional by experts whom the lawmakers invited to hearings. The original chairman's working draft had eight key provisions deleted or substantially re-worked, but the "Palace version" had this down to only three.

Iqbal, however, said there is a bigger stake in letting the BBL pass: the future of peace in Mindanao.

Vacuum for radical groups

“If the BBL is disapproved, the MILF will eventually weaken and those espousing for radical agenda will become stronger, because they have proved the MILF wrong in pursuing the path of peace,” Iqbal warned in his open letter to his “countrymen” on Tuesday.

The MILF and the government had a come a long way over 17 years to build confidence for the sake of peace. But with the rise of radicalism in the Muslim world, Muslim Mindanao is not an exception to the threats, and the sooner the government consolidates all the forces that champion peace, the easier it can fortify the nation against the threats from extremists, he said/.

He explained that if the opportunity presented by the BBL is missed, it will be another story of war and peace.

“I don’t think the MILF would ever agree—or is capable—to negotiate again for such a long period of time. If we miss this opportunity, I don’t think a similar opportunity will ever present itself again in a generation or two from now. The next generation of Moro leaders, young and idealistic, would be expected to be more radical than the contemporary Moro leaders, who, as a consequence of their 43 long years of struggle, are more pragmatic and reasonable,” he said.

Iqbal showed some exasperation as lawmakers clashed on the BBL for voting.

“The truth is that up to this moment, there is no clear unanimity of opinion about the necessity and urgency of passing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in Congress. Some doubted seriously the need for such a law.  This calls for this brief rejoinder,” he said.

The BBL had been submitted to Congress after the Bangsamoro Transition Committee finished drafting it, but its contents only drew closer attention when the MILF got involved in a 10-hour firefight with police commandos on a mission last January 25, to apprehend Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marawan.

At the end of the Mamasapano debacle, 44 members of the police's Special Action Force (SAF) lay dead; as did 17 MILF fighters and three civilians.

The attackers, composed of MILF and fighters from its faction, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and some private armed groups (PAGs) opened fire on the SAF men after they had shot dead Marwan within MILF territory.

Congressional hearings on the Mamasapano mission, as well as parallel investigations by other agencies, surfaced critical comments against the MILF's sincerity as peace partners, as well as some provisions of the BBL, which were found unconstitutional. But government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles have strongly defended it

“The BBL is a menu for the unity of this country and antidote to secession. What sends people to secede is if they are deprived, oppressed, and persecuted. A contented, happy and developed population will think twice or thrice before they would embark on a bloody adventure where everybody is a loser,” Iqbal said.

'BBL addressed most grievances'

“The BBL has addressed most if not all of the legitimate grievances of the Moros against the government. Therefore, any armed group especially new ones will have no reason or cause to fight the government. They will not succeed, because the people will not support them anymore,” he added.

He believes the BBL will promote peace and security, progress, and development not only in the Bangsamoro and Mindanao but also the entire country.

“Those monies used to buy weapons and ammunition will be used to build roads, irrigations, clinics, etc. Once the BBL is passed, the MILF, which is the largest and strongest revolutionary organization in this country, will rejoin the mainstream society and they will become productive. More importantly, they can be a very reliable and effective partner of the government both in nation-building and defending this country,” he said.

Iqbal also stressed that failure to pass the BBL will trigger frustration and possible new anti-government activities/ This could happen even granting the MILF will stay faithful to what it had stated time and again - that even if the BBL will not pass Congress, it will always pursue the path of peace in the resolution of the Moro Problem or Question in Mindanao.

Even if the MILF were to stay on the course of peace, local and foreign radical groups will make Mindanao their safe havens, he said.

“There is no other option except the option of peace that is almost equal to the passage of the BBL. War to the government and the MILF is not an option. I am sure Congress will not also consider war as an option,” he said.

“On the issue of whether or not the MILF can be trusted, one has to examine the track records of both the government and the MILF from the time they started their negotiations in January 1997. The truth is that most of the violations of the ceasefire, especially the declaration of two all-out wars (2000 and 2003) were committed by the government. Then, the ceasefire and the peace negotiation were holding and moving, respectively,” he added.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/110781/iqbal-warns-non-passage-of-bbl-could-spark-muslim-radicalism