Despite the recent spate of violence by armed groups to derail the peace process in Mindanao, the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) opened their 39th formal exploratory talks in
In her opening statement, Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chair of the GPH panel, vowed that no amount of violence by the breakaway group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) meant to derail the peace process would prevent the GPH and the MILF from reaching a final peace agreement before the year ends.
“In this round, we will prove that we have not been waylaid by these groups’ destructive, desperate ways,” Ferrer said.
Last July 13 BIFF elements attacked government forces and set-off improvised explosive devices in several parts of Mindanao, and followed by two bomb explosions in Cagayan de Oro City on July 26 that killed six innocent civilians and wounded 40, and a car bomb in Cotabato on Aug. 5 that killed eight and injured scores of people, including children, all aimed at derailing the peace talks.
“But through their grievous deeds, these entrepreneurs of violence and mayhem have only succeeded in isolating themselves from the rest of the people,” Ferrer pointed out.
“Bombings, snipings, and various forms of indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations and objects such as bridges have no place in the moral order that we are instituting in our country and our communities,” she said.
Amid these atrocities, Ferrer was confident that both parties would resolve to reach “the goal of completing the last two remaining annexes.”
She said the GPH and the MILF panels have already signed two out of the four annexes to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB).
These are the Annex on Transitional Arrangements on Modalities signed in February, and the Annex on Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, Ferrer said.
“The signing of the Annex on Wealth Sharing on July 13 was generally positively received. There were questions and commentaries, to be sure, but none so serious as to throw out or render unviable any single part of the Annex,” she added.
“The signing, moreover, dispelled the doubts that a comprehensive agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF in our lifetime, under this administration, in 2013, can be done,” Ferrer stressed.
“It showed that, with trust and confidence, both parties do persevere in order to find a common ground on the difficult issues,” she said.
“Most important, the signing of the second Annex proved that at the end of the day, the same goal of instituting strong, inclusive and responsive institutions imbued with meaningful autonomy drives the process,” Ferrer said.
“But we know that the path we have painstakingly taken to get us to the second, third and then the final Annex is strewn with various types of landmines,” she said.
Ferrer also said that soon to be completed and signed are the Annexes on Power Sharing and Normalization. These four annexes, together with the FAB, will comprise the comprehensive agreement which the parties aim to sign within the year.
Ferrer pointed out that “violence is not strength. It reflects a weakness in ideas, a lack of strength in the moral persuasiveness of one’s beliefs and causes. Its sheer force betrays a lack of legitimacy and popular support. As Hannah Arendt, one of my favorite philosophers, wisely wrote: ‘Impotence breeds violence.’”
According to Ferrer, the ceasefire committees, the Ad Hoc Joint Action Groups (AHJAG) and the International Monitoring Team (IMT), together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), and a good number of national and local government officials are working hard to address the continuing threats to our people’s collective security.
Ferrer said that President Benigno S. Aquino III has reiterated at the State of the Nation Address on July 22, during the anniversary of the Philippine National Police on August 13, and the celebration of Eid’l Fitr -- “his commitment to see through our road map during his term.”
“On our end, we do our share of reaching the goal of completing the last two remaining annexes. Let us show that we are ready to put to sleep the infamous devil in the details and awaken the angel of creativity and compromise,” she said.
“I say this without underestimating the complexity of the issues, the multiplicity of legitimate interests and needs that have to be addressed in a plural society such as ours,” she said.
0n the other hand, Malaysian third-party facilitator Tengku Datu Abdul Ghafar Tengku bin Mohamed called on both sides to look seriously at spoilers, especially the “militant groups” who don’t want to see peace.
TC members and observers
Present at the opening of 39th round of formal talks were members of the Transition Commission (TC), which Iqbal also chairs. By virtue of Executive Order 120, the TC is mandated to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will pave the way for the entrenchment of the new Bangsamoro region.
Observers from Congress and civil society from the Philippines also attended the opening ceremony. They were Deputy Speaker and Lanao del Sur Rep. Pangalian Balindong, North Cotabato Rep. Jesus Sacdalan, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, Atty. Mary Ann Arnado of Mindanao Peaceweavers, Patricia Sarenas of the Mindanao Coalition of Development NGOs Networks and Caucus of Development NGOs, and Salic Ibrahim of the Reform ARMM Now.
Other attendees at the opening ceremony were the deputy head of mission of the Embassy of Turkey in Malaysia Hamat Dougan, Tom Phipps of the United Kingdom, Ono-san of Japan, Kristian Herbolzeimer and Emma Leslie, Dr. Markus of Muhammadiyah.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=557892
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