Opinion: The true spirit of the Bangsamoro must be kept alive!

Opinion piece posted to the Philippine Star (Mar 10): The true spirit of the Bangsamoro must be kept alive!

The pioneers of the Bangsamoro struggle, the surviving MNLF FF90 have recently signed Resolution No. 01-2014, a Resolution of Unity. Out of the 90 brethren brothers who were part of the inception of the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front), 39 are left and 33 have resounded themselves through this manifesto calling for peace and justice in Mindanao. 

Some may not know it but Datu Abul Khayr Alonto was actually the brains behind the MNLF.  He recruited the members including Nur Misuari (in the late 1960’s) who he made Chairman despite the refusal of the group.  But being deeply respected as the rightful head of the organization, Alonto’s decision prevailed and Nur was re-instated.  The rest is history.

Nur Misuari is in absentia. He has not shown up since the Zamboanga siege.  He has become a fugitive in view of the charges filed against him and 60 others by the DOJ which resulted to issuance of arrest warrants.  As in the past, Nur Misuari has on several instances hibernated at the expense of his people in the field. The men who fought at the 2013 Zamboanga siege were misled by him. They were told to wear their uniforms for a ‘parade’ for guests supposedly coming from the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. When Nur’s men reached Zamboanga City, they were given arms and told to occupy the Muslim dominated areas in the city. Those who died were wasted. In fact 2 FF90 and 1 FF300 original MNLF fighters, who were merely resting in their homes were also killed.

 With the disappointment the pioneers of the Bangsamoro struggle have with the present siutation and Nur Misuari, they saw a need to re-emerge as the Mainstream Original MNLF Members to work for Peace and Development with the signing of the 1976 RP-MNLF Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 GRP-MNLF Peace Accord. 

By the way, the MNLF is presumed to have demilitarized but Nur Misuari kept on violating the agreements to the dismay of the Original Freedom Fighters who stayed put in Mindanao and fought the war years, while Nur and others allegedly lived comfortably in the Middle East.

Unknown to Datu Abul Khayr Alonto, who is beset with his economic revolution (bringing local and foreign investments to the deprived Muslim Mindanao), the group elected him to be the present Chairman to replace Nur Misuari.

I was able to get a copy of the Resolution and here are some statements:

Whereas, we are the Original MNLF Freedom Fighters, the FF’90 of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), with our Military Arm, the MNLF Bangsamoro Army, who in the war years stayed put in Mindanao and fought, in defense of Islam, our people and the Bangsamoro homeland;

Whereas, we hereby reaffirm that the legitimacy of the positions of our brothers, Mr. Nur Misuari and DatuHj. Abul Khayr D. Alonto, as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the MNLF respectively, by virtue of selection, emanated from our group through the MNLF Central Committee, the rightful body to choose their rightful leaders;

Whereas, we are aware of the unfortunate blunders of Mr. Nur Misuari that hauled down the MNLF into an abyss of leadership crisis and its lamentable fragmentation as well as the exodus of able and dedicated Mujahideen (freedom fighters), either into the Philippine Government Bureaucracy, or to private lives of seemingly but definitely unwanted complacency;

Whereas, without the knowledge nor the approval of the Original MNLF Central Committee and their members, Mr. Nur Misuari veered away from the very principle that the group has sworn their lives for, when, among others, he publicly proclaimed Sulu, nearby provinces & the island of Palawan independent from the Philippine Republic with the inclusion of Sabah, Malaysia; and allegedly participated in the “March 2013 LahaDato Stand Off” & led “the September 2013 Zamboanga City Siege”, that caused the loss of hundreds of lives and destruction of properties;

Whereas, in pursuance of the inherent & inalienable rights of the Bangsamoro people to self-determination, the restoration of their freedom, independence and sovereignty as a people; the 1976 RP-Tripoli Agreement; and the 1996 GRP-MNLF Peace Accord; it is of historical imperativeness and exigency that we now fill the gap of leadership in the MNLF and concomitantly manifest our support for the 2012 GPH-MILF Framework Agreement for the Bangsamoro and the Transition Commission in the crafting of the Basic Law for the establishment of the Bangsa Moro State in Muslim Mindanao;

Wherefore, we hereby serve notice to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) & its 57 Member States; the Government of the Republic of the Philippines; the United Nations (UN); the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); the United States of America, Canada & Mexico…; that by virtue of law of succession and the noble covenant of the Original MNLF Central Committee, we have obliged MNLF Vice Chairman DatuHj. AbulKhayr D. Alonto, to assume the MNLF Chairmanship;

Wherefore, resolve as it is hereby resolved, and by virtue thereof, and having ordained and unanimously elected, DatuHj. AbulKhayr D. Alonto, of the Triumvirate of 1964 who organized the Youth Wing of the Moro Malay Muslim Movement in the Middle East & the Philippines; a participant in the “1965 Covenant of Jabbal Noor, Makkah Al-Mukarramah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and the true founding leader of the MNLF; as the new Chairman of the MNLF Central Committee; he shall immediately assume as such and officially exercise all the powers and authorities inherent thereof;

Wherefore, premises considered, resolve as it is resolved that authority is hereby granted to the Honorable Chairman, DatuHj. AbulKhayr D. Alonto, to initiate the immediate reconsolidation, reorganization and revitalization of the MNLF in consultation and collaboration with the MNLF Central Committee, the General Secretariat and the Heads of the Higher MNLF Military, Political, Economic, Religious, Social Services, Tribal Communities, Women & Youth Commissions;

This Resolution was done and signed on the 3rd day of RabiulAkhir 1435H corresponding to the 3rd day of February 2014, at theMNLF-LAM ALIF Lama Maradeka, KutaMarawi, Buadi Sa Kayo, Islamic City of Marawi, Mindanao, Philippines.

Signatories were members of the FF 90 AB’20, FF 90 CD’21, FF 90 H’14, and top 91 Brother Abdullah (Al) Camlian. It was noted with acceptance and conformity by Datu HJ. Abul Khayr D. Alonto.

In the public hearings and other forums conducted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission that is now in the process of drafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law, Ambassador Alonto has been invited as resource person and observer. He and some FF90, FF300 and BG67 are actively participating and contributing to the crafting of the Basic Law.     
        
The last annex to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro that deals with decommissioning the armed wing of the MILF and outline steps to disarm private armies in the proposed Bangsamoro area has been signed.

At this juncture in the history of the MNLF, all they want is for all sectors to unite in support of the peace process since development cannot prevail in an atmosphere of war.

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2014/03/10/1299122/true-spirit-bangsamoro-must-be-kept-alive