Over a thousand MILF combatants will disarm in a ceremony to be led by President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, September 7
COMMITMENT. BARMM chief minister Ahod Ebrahim promises to ensure transition of 40,000 fighters to civilian life. Photo by Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – BARMM chief minister Murad Ebrahim promised thousands of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters that the leadership will support their transition to civilian lives.
“There is another life coming,” the MILF chairman said in an interview on Thursday, September 5. He said they will make sure socioeconomic packages they were promised will be delivered.
Murad said the country’s dominant Muslim rebel group will also retain its organizational structure even as it ceases to be a military organization The fighters will become automatic members of the civilian organization.
A little over a thousand hardened combatants will disarm in a decommissioning ceremony to be led by President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, September 7. It is the first big batch out of an envisioned total of 40,000 fighters expected to decommission. (READ: Mindanao closer to peace as MILF decommissions 12,000 fighters – gov't)
Murad said the transition to civilian life will not be easy for rebels who have been fighting most of their lives. Many of them did not have the opportunity to get better education or pursue stable professions.
“When we started the organization, we capacitated our people as revolutionaries. Now we are starting a government, we need again to train our people, educate our people, and let them understand that there is another life that is coming,” Murad said.
“They have been, most of them have been in the jungles, since they were very young. We need to prepare for the normal life, even the old ones,” Murad said.
Murad said the fighters have been encouraged by promises of socioeconomic assistance.
Skills training
OPAPP and TESDA sign a memorandum of agreement to assist MILF combatants. Photo by Carmela Fonbuena/Rappler
On Friday, September 6, on the eve of the ceremony, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) also signed a memorandum of agreement with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to help provide socioeconomic assistance for the combatants.
TESDA will focus on developing skills training programs and providing scholarship grants to former combatants to allow them to earn a living and support their families.
“All these interventions, which are anchored on the normalization track, aim to assist MILF combatants in making the smooth transition from revolutionary combatants to a peaceful and productive civilian life,” said Chief Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr.
The MILF dropped its bid for independence in favor of wider autonomy. Under a political settlement with the government, the MILF will disarm 40,000 fighters in the next 3 years in exchange for the successful establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The new autonomous region is now under the leadership of the MILF, with Murad as chief minister. Its primary role is to set up mechanisms and enact the first laws of the new region.
Expectations are high that the new autonomous region will usher in development and stamp out widespread poverty in the region.
“There have been offers many times for us na pamunuan ang (to lead) ARMM. Sabi namin hindi kami papasok sa gobyerno (We maintined we will not get involved) unless we have the weapon in order to correct the system or to change the system,” he said.
Murad said good governance is key in ensuring the success of the peace process. He said it is also criticial that thousands of its fighters embrace civilian life and will not be recruited to join other armed groups that continue to threaten the region.
“We need to make sure that all these commitments will be delivered,” he said.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/239494-new-life-murad-statement-milf-fighters
TESDA will focus on developing skills training programs and providing scholarship grants to former combatants to allow them to earn a living and support their families.
“All these interventions, which are anchored on the normalization track, aim to assist MILF combatants in making the smooth transition from revolutionary combatants to a peaceful and productive civilian life,” said Chief Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr.
The MILF dropped its bid for independence in favor of wider autonomy. Under a political settlement with the government, the MILF will disarm 40,000 fighters in the next 3 years in exchange for the successful establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The new autonomous region is now under the leadership of the MILF, with Murad as chief minister. Its primary role is to set up mechanisms and enact the first laws of the new region.
Expectations are high that the new autonomous region will usher in development and stamp out widespread poverty in the region.
“There have been offers many times for us na pamunuan ang (to lead) ARMM. Sabi namin hindi kami papasok sa gobyerno (We maintined we will not get involved) unless we have the weapon in order to correct the system or to change the system,” he said.
Murad said good governance is key in ensuring the success of the peace process. He said it is also criticial that thousands of its fighters embrace civilian life and will not be recruited to join other armed groups that continue to threaten the region.
“We need to make sure that all these commitments will be delivered,” he said.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/239494-new-life-murad-statement-milf-fighters
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