Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: MILF: FBCSO conducts Orientation on Prospects of Federalism

Friday, October 28, 2016

MILF: FBCSO conducts Orientation on Prospects of Federalism

Posted to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Website (Oct 28): FBCSO conducts Orientation on Prospects of Federalism

The Federation of Bangsamoro Civil Society Organization (FBCSO) with the Kalilintad Peacebuilding Institute Inc. (KPI) conducted one-day orientation on Prospects of Federalism and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) last October 25, 2016 at Datu Ibrahim Paglas Memorial College, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao.

“The Federation of Bangsamoro Civil Society Organization is an alliance of Bangsamoro organizations composed of 125 civil society organizations and people’s organizations throughout the country. Generally, it aims to advocate peace and development in our communities. Our federation accepts organizations wishing to be a member”, Moidjoddin Talusob, FBCSO General Secretary said in his rationale of the orientation.

“We need to unite for a common goal. Let us make our federation a strong agent of peace and work on development advocacy programs in our communities”, Talusob added.

“We want the passage of BBL before shifting into Federal Form of Government. We appeal to Congress not to set aside the BBL by prioritizing charter change through Constitutional Assembly (Con-Ass)”, said Abdullah Salik,Jr., FBCSO President.

“Our legitimate struggle does not end here. It is a continuous process in seeking justice for our people”, added Salik.

Prof. Esmael A. Abdula, Executive Director of Kalilintad Peacebuilding Institute Inc.(KPI) and BLMI Steering Committee, also FBCSO Consultant gave updates on MILF-GPH Peace Process.

“The MILF and the GPH have appointed their respective Peace Implementing Panels to facilitate the implementation of Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB),” he said.

“Peace negotiation is one of the diplomatic means of achieving the Bangsamoro’s right to self-determination. The International community recognize the MILF as Non-State Armed Actor that represents the Bangsamoro people”, Abdula stressed.

“The CAB is a political document signed by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. It is the fruit of our struggle for freedom and right to self-determination”, Abdula also emphasized.

Abdula pointed out that the BBL must be passed first by congress before they work on constitutional change.

Some key resource speakers were Nasser Pulindao, FBCSO Vice-President, Alih Anso, FBCSO Board of Trustee member, and Zukarno P. Hadjinor, Associate Dean of Datu Ibrahim Paglas Memorial College, Abdulaziz B. Talib Administrative Staff of Eastern Kutawato Islamic Institute, also KPI-BOD and Abusama Abad, Junior High School Department Head of Datu Ibrahim Paglas Memorial College, who is also KPI-BOD

FBCSO is conducting series of orientation and dialogue with civil society organizations and people’s organizations throughout Mindanao relative to peace and development programs.

About one hundred officers and representatives of different organizations from the academe, farmers’ cooperative, women sector, youth sector, religious sector and local political leaders who attended the orientation.