Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: MILF: UNYPAD Adopts Declaration in Support of GPH-MILF Peace process

Thursday, May 5, 2016

MILF: UNYPAD Adopts Declaration in Support of GPH-MILF Peace process

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (May 4): UNYPAD Adopts Declaration in Support of GPH-MILF Peace process

Pikit, North Cotabato – Participated by more than eight hundred officers from the different chapters through the country that comprise the National Assembly, which is the organization’s highest policy-making body, the UNYPAD 6th General Assembly culminated with an adoption of a historical declaration on the imperative of preserving and pursuing the gains of the GPH-MILF Peace process on May 01, 2016 at Pikit Central Elementary School, Pikit, Cotabato.

Presided by Dr Rahib L. Kudto, the organizations president, members of the National Assembly unanimously agreed to have a declaration underlining the need to fully implement CAB as a cornerstone of peace in the country and pass the agreed version of the BBL to address the fear that failure of passing it will beget wars and trigger violent extremism among youth which may inevitably continue to the detriment of the entire peace process.

Important content of the Assembly are as follows:

“Call upon whoever will run the next Philippine administration to preserve and pursue the gains of the GPH-MILF peace process and have the same as their top priority in their agenda”;

“Urge the 17th Congress to fully implement the CAB and pass the agreed version of the BBL”;

“Appeal to the Friends of the Peace Process and all the peace-loving citizens of the country to double their efforts in persuading our concerned leaders for the passage of BBL by the next administration”; and

“Call on one and all to neither engage in nor give credence to any disinformation campaign whose sole purpose is to derail the peace process but rather work hand in hand to let peace become a reality and not merely a dream in and for the Bangsamoro because the entire Philippine archipelago will benefit beyond doubt from the impact of peace in the Bangsamoro”.
In his message in the second day of the assembly 30 April, MILF peace panel chair in talks with the government at the same time Bangsamoro Transition Commission Chair Hon. Mohagher Iqbal told members of the assembly to continue developing more future leaders as it is an indicator of a successful leader.

“A leader is considered successful if he develops more leaders. Your President is a humble example”, he said.

“You are not successful if you develop no one”, he added.

“I urge you to work hard. Exert your efforts and prepare your selves because you are the next leaders to continue our quest for self-determination by pursuing what we had started”, he stressed.

Both provincial board members Hon. Dulia Sultan and Hon. Kelly U. Antao in their messages congratulated UNYPAD leadership for the success of the assembly where all chapters from different parts of the country met to discuss vital issues pertaining to the future operation of the organization.

Aside from congratulating UNYPAD for the successful holding of the general assembly, the third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) members headed by its Chairman Former European Union Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Alistair MacDonald, Dr. Steve Rood of the The Asia Foundation, Hüseyin Oruç of International Humanitarian Relief Foundation based in Turkey and Karen Tanada of Gaston Z. Ortigas based in Manila, urged youth leaders to strengthen their advocacy in combating extremism and youth radicalism.

UNYPAD’s president Dr Kudto is a member of the TPMT.