The dream of the Muslim and Animist Lumad natives as well as
the conscious Christians of Mindanao to live in total freedom and liberty from
‘Imperial Manila’ or Philippine colonialism has always guided the Mindanaoan
leaders in both their militant and peaceful freedom struggle.
The ideal dream of patriot Mindanao leaders, like Reuben R.
Canoy, Mai Thuan, Pantaleon Alvarez, Sultan Harun al-Rashid Lucman, Prof. Nur
Misuari and Ustaj Salamat Hashim, have today demonstrated the revolutionary
will of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Mindanao Independence
Movement (MIM), One People Mindanao (OPM), BangsaMoro Liberation Organization
(BMLO), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under Chairman Ustaj Salamat
Hashim, and also currently the Ustaj Umra Amiril Katu-led Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Movement (BIFM), to have had launched and to wage still the freedom
struggle towards the independence of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan, including
North Borneo (now Sabah and Sarawak) under Malaysia colonialism.
Simply said, the Indigenous Peoples – Muslim and Animist
Lumad natives – and conscious Christians of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan
(MINSUPALA) cannot remain forever colonial slaves of the Luzon-based Filipino
colonialist land-grabbers whose greed for economic and political power has led
to the present war of extermination and genocide in the Filipino-occupied
territory.
Hell bent to continue the colonization and occupation of
Mindanao through the sinister strategy of the draconian law ‘Legislative Act
No. 4197 of February 12, 1935’ otherwise known as ‘Quirino-Recto Colonization
Act’ under the Philippine Commonwealth regime, the Filipino colonizers
patronized the gruesome injustice by illegally and immorally annexing MINSUPALA
into America-created Philippine Republic on July 4, 1946.
The rest is dark history for Mindanao .
Thus, backdrop by these short historical notes, the Bangsamoro freedom fighters
in Mindanao today wish to salute the youth sector, particularly the student
populace of Davao Mindanao .
In their quest for truth, the school newspaper Atenews has
taken the liberty to inquire on the raging issues surrounding the Bangsamoro
Question, to wit:
(1) It is an undeniable fact that there are still skirmishes
between the military groups and the Bangsamoro. What could be the reasons for
this?
(2) What is the group’s vision for the Bangsamoro people?
(3) What is the group’s view of Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)?
Do you think it will be the key to establish lasting peace and development in Mindanao ?
(4) Any statements or particulars you wanted students/people
of Mindanao to know?
The MNLF leadership in league with the freedom spirit of the Cagayan de Oro-based Mindanao Independence Movement and Davao-based One People Mindanao established by Mindanaoan patriots, like Reuben R. Canoy and Pantaleon Alvarez together with their revolutionary colleagues, can only express gratitude to the learned youth of Mindanao for taking the bold and courageous steps to search for the truth.
This is explicitly to know the cardinal truism that deals on
the harsh truth that can never see print in the Manila-based daily newspapers
under any circumstances. Truth to tell, the mainstream Philippine media today
have only become mouthpiece of Philippine colonialism or Imperial Manila.
This reality speaks particularly of most of the paid media
personnel and so-called opinion makers whose only vocation is to continue
patronizing the gross injustice of the Manila government against the colonized
victims of Mindanao .
Thus, the Mindanao
studentry and other youthful populace should be wary and careful to read the
news and views of the mainstream Philippine media so as to carefully ascertain
the real truth.
As the staunchest African-American human rights advocate,
John Little (Malcolm X or Alhaj Malik al-Shabaz), said: “If you’re not careful,
the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and
loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”
Now, answering ATENEWS inquiries!
(1) IT
IS AN UNDENIABLE FACT THAT THERE ARE STILL SKIRMISHES BETWEEN THE MILITARY
GROUPS AND BANGSAMORO. WHAT COULD BE THE REASONS FOR THIS?
In answer to the first question, it is clearly recorded in
history that Mindanao peace has had been
already betrayed thrice by Philippine colonialism.
Firstly, after the non-implementation of the 1976 Tripoli
Peace Agreement under President Ferdinand E. Marcos; secondly, after the
non-implementation of the 1987 Jeddah Peace Accord under President Corazon C.
Aquino and; thirdly, after the no implementation of the 1996 Jakarta Peace
Agreements under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The three Filipino colonialist leaders instead presided in
establishing bogus autonomous governments in Mindanao to deceive the Bangsamoro
people and global humanity on the pretext of achieving peace in war-wracked Mindanao . Besides the Marcos version of cosmetic Region 9
and 12 autonomy set-up, the two version farcical Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) manufactured unilaterally by both Houses of Philippine Congress
was totally rejected by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the
MNLF.
In 2001, when the Arroyo government upgraded the Aquino
regime-created 4-province ARMM in 1987 into the present 5-province ARMM, which
later turned out only into the highly-publicized “cheating capital of
Philippine elections,” the MNLF Peace Panel Spokesman Reverend Absalom Cerveza
categorically pointed out that, “the political move would not end the
Philippines-Bangsamoro war in Mindanao.”
He always considered Mindanao independence the “last option”
if the Manila government would not sincerely
implement the peace agreement. He recently issued a loud call for the
consumption of the global community: “When will the Filipino Colonialist
Land-Grabbers Stop the War Crime against Humanity in Mindanao
for Peace.”
It was also viewed by MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari that
the unilateral course of action of the Arroyo government was a recipe to
prolong the Mindanao war. He decided to
abandon altogether the ARMM governorship because of the non-implementation of
the 1996 peace agreement, leading to the resumption of the Filipino-Moro war in
Sulu in 2001.
Furthermore, it is common knowledge in Filipino-colonized Mindanao that while alive the legendary freedom fighter
Reuben R. Canoy defied all odds to engage in peaceful struggle against
Philippine colonialism. Using the fundamental human rights to peaceful
assembly, he spearheaded the movement of conscious Mindanaoan Christians,
Muslims and Lumads to enshrine a Mindanao Constitution leading to the
establishment of the ‘Federal Republic of Mindanao’ separate and distinct from
the oppressive Philippine government.
Hailed as the fruits and labor “of Mindanaoans, by
Mindanaoans, for Mindanaoans,” the Mindanao Constitution was proclaimed in
Cagayan de Oro City on April 11, 1986 and signed by 500 delegates being
witnessed by around 2,000 observers. The MIM also proceeded to create its own
passport, money currency, Mindanao flag and
Mindanao National Anthem.
The MIM Chairman Reuben R, Canoy and revolutionary
colleagues were just inspired by the political move of the progressive leaders
of Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan Association (MINSUPALAS), like Vice-President Emmanuel
Pelaez, Senators Alejandro Almendras and Gaudencio Antonino, Congressmen Ramon
Mitra and Saripada Pendatun.
The Mindanao leaders posited for the establishment of an
independent ‘Minsupala Republic ’ to define the prosperity, destiny and
certainty of Mindanao – the ‘land of promise’
– that today still remain as such under Philippine colonialism.
The valiant political move under the Marcos watch led to the
near-death assassination of then Vice-President Pelaez, who was the only
Mindanaoan to occupy the second highest position in the Filipino nation
reserved only for the colonialist leaders of Luzon .
Take note that both Houses of Philippine Congress today are
only filled up by most of the family members and political animals from Luzon to safeguard the perpetuation of dynasty and
Philippine colonialism.
To put closure to the raging Mindanao
war, the MIM Chairman Reuben R. Canoy also prescribed peaceful comprehensive
solution. He once commented:
“There
can be no doubt that for selfish reasons, the Manila politico-economic elite will
fight tooth and nail to keep Mindanao as a
colony. But the growing determination of Mindanaoans to change a deplorable
status quo subjects the situation to an immutable law of physics – that when an
irresistible force meets an immovable object, one of the two must yield.
In the face of an imminent collision between a resolute people and an unbending government, how then will the issue of self-determination be ultimately resolved? Will it be settled through peaceful means? Or will Mindanao be plunged anew in a bloody conflict, this time with the Muslims, Christians and tribal communities fighting together against their perceived oppressors?...
To be sure, the Mindanaoans hate war. They have seen too much of it under the Spanish, American, Japanese and Filipino colonizers…The Manila government would be committing a serious blunder if it smugly dismisses the mounting unrest in Mindanao as a child’s tantrum that can be assuaged only by a few sticks of candy, such as the promise of more funds in the next budget, a portfolio or two in the cabinet, or the semblance of autonomy for a few provinces.
These occasional sops will no longer do, for Mindanaoans have come of age…For both Muslims and Christian settlers, ultimate justice is regaining lost independence and self-determination, the basic human rights to decide their own future, whether together or separately.
In the face of an imminent collision between a resolute people and an unbending government, how then will the issue of self-determination be ultimately resolved? Will it be settled through peaceful means? Or will Mindanao be plunged anew in a bloody conflict, this time with the Muslims, Christians and tribal communities fighting together against their perceived oppressors?...
To be sure, the Mindanaoans hate war. They have seen too much of it under the Spanish, American, Japanese and Filipino colonizers…The Manila government would be committing a serious blunder if it smugly dismisses the mounting unrest in Mindanao as a child’s tantrum that can be assuaged only by a few sticks of candy, such as the promise of more funds in the next budget, a portfolio or two in the cabinet, or the semblance of autonomy for a few provinces.
These occasional sops will no longer do, for Mindanaoans have come of age…For both Muslims and Christian settlers, ultimate justice is regaining lost independence and self-determination, the basic human rights to decide their own future, whether together or separately.
In
like manner, the revolutionary movement One People Mindanao is next to MIM to
advocate the idea of complete freedom and self-determination for the Christian,
Highlander and Muslim Mindanaoans under a truly independent and sovereign “Mindanao Federal Republic
“The
prospective federated Mindanao State must be separate and distinct from the Republic
of the Philippines ,
comprising of Luzon and Visayas, to ensure complete peace, prosperity and
goodwill for the pluralist communities of Mindanao .”
Thus,
there will be no end to the Philippines-Bangsamoro war in Mindanao because
apparently the basic reason is based on the sentiments and aspirations of the
oppressed people of Mindanao to regain complete freedom and independence from
the Filipino colonialist land-grabbers that have no respect for international
binding peace agreements.
Today,
Philippine colonialism under President Benigno S. Aquino III has again totally
shown no respect to the September 2, 1996 MNLF-OIC-GRP Jakarta Peace Agreements
forged under the incumbency of President Fidel V. Ramos.
The
total disrespect to honor the 1996 peace agreement and the suppression of
peaceful assembly of Bangsamoro demonstrators by Mayor Maria Isabel Climaco led
to the AFP-MNLF war in Zamboanga
City
The
ferocious AFP-MNLF battle ended only with the direct intervention of the
Indonesian government and the call of the United Nations (UN), European Union
(EU) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as well as urgent appeal from
peace advocate NGOs to end the war.
Similar
to the burning by AFP occupation forces of almost the entire Jolo town during
the 1974 AFP-MNLF war, the 2013 Zamboanga urban war registered the razing to
ground zero of six Muslim-thickly populated villages.
The
cruelty and genocidal extermination campaign shown by AFP troops resulted in
the massive burning of around 10,160 houses and mosques leading to the
dislocation of almost 200,000 refugee families. Many of the family refugees
until now still live in tents in evacuation centers in Zamboanga City
(2)
WHAT IS THE GROUP’S VISION FOR THE BANGSAMORO PEOPLE?
On
the second inquiry as to the vision of the MNLF for the Bangsamoro people. The
vision is simply anchored on the firm belief that the oppressed and deprived
Muslim and Highlander natives as well as conscious Christian inhabitants of Mindanao deserve to live in lasting durable peace
enjoying freedom and independence to shape their brighter future and destiny
according to their distinct historic-cultural religious civilizational
heritage.
It
is vividly recorded in Bangsamoro history that the Indigenous Peoples of
Mindanao have never become subjects of King Philip II or colonial slaves of the
Spanish colonizers unlike the Christian Catholic Filipinos and the
Christianized Indios of Luzon.
The
freedom-loving Bangsamoro forebears have always protected this historical
legacy by waging freedom struggle against oppressive colonizers, like Spain , America ,
Japan and now Philippines Mindanao .
As
emphasized and to repeat the inspiring words of the Mindanaoan patriot and
freedom fighter, Reuben R. Canoy, ‘’…For both Muslims and Christian settlers,
ultimate justice is regaining lost independence and self-determination, the
basic human rights to decide their own future, whether together or separately.”
(3) WHAT
IS THE GROUP’S VIEW OF BANGSAMORO BASIC LAW (BBL)? DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE THE
KEY TO ESTABLISH LASTING PEACE IN MINDANAO ?
On
the third query on the view of MNLF towards the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and
to answer if it will serve the “key to establish lasting peace and development
in Mindanao .”
It
is recalled that the euphoria surrounding the 1976 Tripoli Peace Agreement
under President FEMarcos, the 1987 Jeddah Accord under President CCAquino and
the 1996 Jakarta Peace Agreements under President FVRamos have again taken
center stage under present President BSAquino III to entertain people to hope
for peace. This is quite understandable because the longing for the elusive Mindanao peace is in the hearts and minds of both the
peaceful Filipino and Bangsamoro communities. But is the BBL the correct
formula to achieve “just and lasting peace” in Mindanao ?
Is
the sincerity of President Noynoy Aquino to achieve Mindanao
peace based on the sincerity shown to the MNLF leadership by his martyred
father Senator Ninoy Aquino? Or the kind of superficial sincerity played by his
mother President Cory Aquino on the MNLF leadership?
The
late Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino, Jr., who recognizes the value of freedom, thus,
endearing him to the Bangsamoro freedom fighters in Mindanao, delivered a
lecture at the King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah on March 12, 1981. He
stated:
“I
have come all the way from Boston precisely to urge our brothers especially the
Moro National Liberation Front under Chairman Nur Misuari and the Bangsa Moro
Liberation Organization most probably to start their unity effort so that as
one Muslim nation they will be able to present a more formidable force with any
negotiation with the present government. This evening, I would like to announce
to you that the MNLF under Chairman Nur Misuari and BMLO under Sultan Haroun
al-Rashid Lucman have finally joined forces and together they will now continue
the struggle for freedom of our Muslim brothers in the southern Philippines
In
the same lecture forum, Ninoy Aquino recommended that the ideal comprehensive
solution to the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao was the total implementation of
the letter and spirit of the 1976 Tripoli Peace Agreement comprising of Mindanao 13 provinces and 9 cities. If in the event
autonomy within a period of five years is unworkable then the peace partners
can negotiate for independence. Conscious of Philippine and Moro Nation
history, his gentle and sincere heart was always opened to the independence of
the Bangsamoro people in order to live in peace and harmony among themselves
and with their neighbors.
The
peaceful formula is left in his written aide-memoire given to MNLF Chairman Nur
Misuari in the Middle East. As a man of peace and noble peacemaker, the
Bangsamoro freedom fighters will always remember his words: “Study the lessons
of history before it is too late…If you are not sincere, how many will die?”
On
one hand, President Cory Aquino showed her sincerity by meeting face to face
MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari in Jolo in December, 1996 that paved the way for the
forging of the 1987 Jeddah Accord.
But
when it came to the implementation of the peace agreement that the MNLF already
agreed to be based on the correct implementation of the historical Tripoli
Peace Agreement, the Aquino government proposed the establishment of Mindanao
autonomy based on “ten plus three formula.”
The
artificial peace formula was broached by the GRP Peace Panel Chairman Emmanuel
Pelaez to the MNLF chairman in Indanan, Sulu. It would mean establishing
autonomy initially on ten provinces excluding Palawan, Davao and Dadiangas
(GenSan), but the three provinces would be added in a later date. Since the
implementation process contravened the stipulation of the letter and spirit of
the Tripoli peace agreement, the MNLF rejected it. The Aquino government
eventually moved to create unilaterally the 4-province ARMM that the MNLF and
OIC totally rejected.
In
later years, the ARMM was declared a “failed experiment” by her presidential
son, who strangely insisted on blaming the 1996 peace agreement for the
creation of the fake ARMM, but never the failure of his mother’s government. He
has come up with his own version of autonomous government in Mindanao that is
now the BBL which from inception is also a “failed experiment” because it will
never bring permanent peace to war-torn Mindanao. It is just seen as the same
dog with the present ARMM, but only with different collar or name tag.
Why?
Because the freedom struggle of the Muslim and Lumad natives and conscious
Christians of Mindanao is now on fire and in full swing, so to speak, under the
MNLF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement. Furthermore, the United
Federated States of Bangsamoro Republik (UFSBR) has been established by the
Highlander, Christian and Muslim leaders of the MNLF since the time the Aquino
government advised the OIC Task Force to have abrogated the September 2, 1996
GRP-OIC-MNLF Jakarta Peace Agreements in 2013. The declaration of the UFSBR
Preamble/Charter also simultaneously proclaimed Davao City the capital center
that elicited the support of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and progressive elements of
Mindanao.
Nowadays,
by any possible means, the MNLF is strongly appealing to the global community
of nations for worldwide recognition towards the complete independence and
national self-determination of the oppressed Bangsamoro people of Mindanao.
This is only following the wisdom of Reverend Absalom Cerveza, who clearly tweeted
in Twitter for the global humanity to know the sentiments of the
Filipino-colonized people of Mindanao that: “Bangsamoro Freedom is Golden Key
to Mindanao Peace, not Injustice of Philippine Colonialism.”
Furthermore,
the BBL cannot definitely achieve ‘just and lasting’ Mindanao peace, but the
more will lead to the escalation and prolongation of Mindanao war in strategic
areas occupied by both the Filipino and Malaysian colonialist land-grabbers.
The learned sector of Mindanao society, particularly the Tausug constituents of
the historical Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo (SSNB), have closely viewed
the BBL and the imposition of another version of autonomy labelled “Bangsamoro”
as simply a conspiracy of Philippine and Malaysia colonialism to perpetuate
colonial rule in the Bangsamoro homeland of Mindanao, Sulu, Palawan and North
Borneo (now Sabah and Sarawak). The conspiracy is just highlighted and
camouflaged under the pretext of “just and lasting peace” for Mindanao
frequently hyped by the Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP)
spin masters.
From
the beginning of the MILF-Philippine government peace talks, the intervention
of the Malaysian colonizers in the peace negotiations starting under the Arroyo
regime has been clouded by suspicion and hidden motive. Malaysia is a
member-state of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Conference (presently
Organization of Islamic Cooperation), which has recognized the MNLF as
“Permanent Observer.” Under the Mahathir regime, Malaysia mysteriously
abandoned the MNLF and the OIC peace efforts to solve comprehensively the
Mindanao war because the MNLF leadership under the Tausug Chairman Nur Misuari
would not compromise the propriety rights of the Sulu Sultanate and Tausug
constituents over North Borneo as claimed now by Malaysia under its
questionable sovereignty. The federal Malaysian government would always invoke
the rigged referendum conducted by the Cobbold Commision to justify its
land-grabbing colored sovereignty over North Borneo.
Thus,
it was observed that the Mahathir-led Malaysian government only conspired with
the Arroyo government to divide the Bangsamoro people and Muslim freedom
fighters by brokering the MILF-GRP peace negotiations in Kuala Lumpur leading
to the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Ancestral Domain that
was later declared “unconstitutional” by the Philippine Supreme Court.
The
next phase of the diabolical conspiracy continued under the present Aquino
government with the Kuala Lumpur MILF-GRP peace talks succeeding to formulate
the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB). The FAB was later signed in
Malacanang Palace witnessed by no less than by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak
and President Benigno S. Aquino III. The FAB eventually led to the forging of
the Bangsamoro Basic Law that is now being processed by the Philippine Congress
and Senate with high expectation that the new version autonomy will achieve
permanent peace and possibly end the Philippines-Bangsamoro war in Mindanao.
And also forestall any future war events in Malaysia-occupied North Borneo.
On
this strange development, what is the strategic interest of both Philippine and
Malaysian colonialism in the BBL, which the OIC rejected similar to ARMM? Is it
peace in Mindanao and Sabah? Or the perpetuation of Philippine and Malaysian
colonialism in both occupied Mindanao and North Borneo territories?
It
is recalled that in early 1960s the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo under
Sultan Ismael Kiram trusted and authorized the Philippine government under
President Diosdado Macapagal to claim North Borneo from the
Malaya-transformed-Malaysia federal government. This is because North Borneo
has been part of the Sultanate of Sulu since 1704 through the courtesy of the
Sultanate of Brunei but was only leased to the British Company under Gustavus
Baron de Overbeck of Hong Kong and Alfred Dent, Esquire, of London on January
22, 1878. The SSNB under Sri Paduka Maulana Al Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam
leased North Borneo to the British Company to raise monetary resources to
purchase additional armaments to fight the Spanish invaders. Aside from the
substantial amount to procure the needed weapons of war, it was also stipulated
in the lease agreement that the British Company would pay the SSNB “Maulana
Sultan Muhammad Jamalaul Alam and to his heirs and successors, the sum of five
thousand dollars annually, to be paid each year and every year.”
Although
originally Malaya had declared sovereignty over North Borneo since gaining
independence from British rule since 1963 to form Malaysia federation under
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj with the inclusion of North Borneo and
Singapore, the federal Malaysia government continued paying the annual rental
to the SSNB heirs and successors. Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew later separated
from the Malaysia federation to become one of the most developed and prosperous
global nations today. The Sulu Sultanate heirs and successors under Sultan
Ismael Kiram also decided to claim back North Borneo from Malaysia through the
auspices of the Philippine government under the presidency of Diosdado
Macapagal.
However,
the federal Malaysian government refused to entertain the legal claim and dread
facing the SSNB-authorized Philippine government in the international court of
justice for legal arbitration. The Malaysian folly recently resulted in the
fighting war between the federal Malaysian soldiers and SSNB Royal Army forces
in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, Sabah, in February, 2013. It is now reported
that the SSNB military troops under crown prince, Rajah Mudah Agbimuddin Kiram,
have established camp inside the vast jungle of Sabah geared for guerilla
warfare against the federal Malaysia government.
It
was noted that during the crucial period of the Malaysia-Sulu Sultanate war in
Lahad Datu, the Aquino government did not lift a finger to help the Sulu
Sultanate claimants. Instead, it followed the dictates of the Malaysian
government to pressure Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to end the war by demanding the
SSNB Royal soldiers under his brother to withdraw from Sabah. President Aquino
refused to believe that most of the more than 200 Tausug constituents
travelling with the SSNB crown prince back to Sabah were long residents of the
area, including Rajah Mudah Datu Agbimuddin Kiram. Simply put, the Sultanate of
Sulu and North Borneo leadership just cannot trust Philippine colonialism under
President Aquino to revive or push through with the moral claim over the
Malaysia-occupied territories. Yet, during the survey conducted by Philippine
Daily Inquirer on April 23, 2013 on the question, “Should the Philippines
revive the Sabah claim?, 85.72% (21,993) voted for ‘Yes’ and only 14.28%
(3,665) voted for ‘No.’
As
sadly noted, the Sabah war also led to the hurried evacuation of thousands
Tausug (Suluk) Muslims, who were subjected to harassment, torture and other
forms of inhumane treatment from the oppressive Malaysian soldiers. Those who
were not lucky enough to escape the cruelty of the federal Malaysian military
authorities were just arrested and tortured after being identified as Tausug.
However,
it is analyzed that if the federal Malaysian government will lightly dismiss
the legal claim and will continue to ignore the moral rights of the Sulu
Sultanate and Tausug people, the 2013 Lahad Datu war can always be repeated
anytime in the future.
(4)
ANY STATEMENTS OR PARTICULARS YOU WANTED STUDENTS/PEOPLE OF MINDANAO TO KNOW?
Finally,
the Bangsamoro leadership has to pay homage to the student populace of Mindanao
in their bold quest to search for the truth, particularly to the youthful
knowledge seekers of Ateneo de Davao University. In truth, as future leaders of
Mindanao the prosperity and full development of the region shall pose a great
challenge to the Mindanao youth today. But definitely the monumental task of
building Mindanao future to reach the heights of full development and
prosperity under the atmosphere of peace and security can only be achieved if
Mindanao is no longer a colony. This is given justice by the analytical wisdom
of the late MIM Chairman Reuben R. Canoy, who said:
“With the inauguration of the Commonwealth in
1935 and the attainment of full independence in 1946, it was assumed that the
Mindanao policies instituted by past colonial regimes would be scrapped…To the
dismay of the Mindanaoans, the Manila government turned out to be a worse
colonizer.”
Thus,
the historical moral lessons just cannot be ignored by the youth and learned
people of Mindanao.
On
this note, there is no doubt that the Filipino-Moro war in Mindanao has to end
definitely. How? The student, professional and civilian populace of Mindanao as
well as the Filipino colonizers of Luzon can learn a moral lesson from the
progressive leaders of India, Pakistan, Sudan and Indonesia.
In the 1940s, to end mass unrest and to prevent catastrophic civil war, the Indian leadership under Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to adopt the two-nation formula, leading to the peaceful co-existence of India and Pakistan. Later in years, the Pakistani leadership under Prime Minister Zulfikhar Ali Bhutto agreed to adopt the peaceful two-nation theory that led to peaceful co-existence with independent Bangladesh. Thus, war devastation was avoided in Asia Sub-Continent due to the wisdom of the leaders of the region.
In
Sudan, President Muhammad Bashir abandoned colonialism to make peace with the
South Sudanese freedom fighters to put an end to the bloody war that already
resulted to great number of human and material losses characterized by
appalling humanitarian disaster situations that elicited condemnation from the
world community.
President
H. B. Habibie of Indonesia also abandoned altogether the scourge of colonialism
by agreeing to end the bloody war in East Timor by adopting the two-nation
peace formula. The Indonesian leadership agreed to a peaceful referendum to
solve the Indonesia-East Timor war that eventually gave freedom to the Timor
Leste people to chart their definite destiny, development and prosperity.
On
this peaceful turn of events, why can’t the Filipino leaders today emulate the
peace efforts of progressive leaders to end the injustice against the colonized
victims of Mindanao to simply end the 4-decades long war? If only to
repeat for emphasis, when will they heed the loud call of Reverend Absalom
Cerveza, “When will the Filipino Colonialist Land-Grabbers stop the War Crime
against Humanity in Mindanao for Peace?”
As
historical guidepost for the sound guidance of his fellow Filipinos, one
Filipino thinker, Emilio Jacinto, said: “The power of those who govern depends
upon the love and esteem of the governed, and these are obtained only by a just
and prudent conduct…Those who believe they can maintain their power by means of
force and the gun make a great mistake; they are nearsighted and do not
understand the lesson taught by terrible events recorded in history.”
Indeed,
with the active participation now of the Mindanao youth and professionals to
educate all sectors of society, they sure can shape the bright future of their
homeland. They can certainly be guided by the wisdom of the Mindanao leaders,
who look up to them as true architects of a promising Mindanao, not just
forever a “land of promise” under Philippine colonialism.
They have to be guided by the wisdom of the Mindanaoan leaders, like Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., MIM Chairman Reuben R. Canoy, Ustaj Salamat Hashim, Prof. Nur Misuari and present MILF Chairman Alhaj Murad Ebrahim.
Mayor
Rodrigo Duterte, invoking for off the record courtesy from the Davao press,
stated once the hard truth that the Mindanao problem could be easily solved if
the Filipino leaders are only generous to give what they don’t own in the first
place. Does this mean decolonizing Mindanao? For the sake of achieving “just
and lasting peace” in war-torn Mindanao, he recently broadcasted: “There has to
be a Bangsamoro Nation.”
In
solving the Mindanao war, former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. positively
considers the adoption of federalism: He proposed: “…three federated states in
Mindanao: Northern Mindanao, South Eastern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro…and as
far as the Moro unrest in Mindanao goes, the Moro traditional, political, rebel
leaders and the Moro academics with whom I had the privilege of conversing,
appear to unanimously support the idea of federalizing the Republic and
creating a Bangsamoro Federal State as a means of dissipating the causes of
Moro rebellions and of laying the foundations of a just and lasting peace in
Mindanao.”
The late MILF Chairman Ustaj Salamat Hashim said: “The MILF leadership is confident Brother Nur Misuari of the MNLF cannot afford to betray the Bangsamoro people and Cause. We have high regards on him and we presume he and the MNLF leadership are well aware that unless a meaningful self-determination for the Bangsamoro people is in place, the problem will persist from generation to generations.”
If
only to achieve Mindanao peace, MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari agreed in 1976 to
settle for meaningful autonomy in lieu of complete independence and national
self-determination. He commented: “In the interest of peace and development in
Mindanao and its component islands of Palawan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan and
Camiguin, I call on all government, military and civilian authorities to
faithfully respect and upheld the GRP-OIC-MNLF Peace Agreements in letter and
spirit. These peace agreements are of supreme importance to our people and the
future. Let no one, therefore, denigrate the sublime memory and sacrifice of
those valiant men and women, Mujahideen and Mudjahidat alike, who have perished
in pursuit of peace, justice and freedom as a key to social harmony and
sustainable economic development for all of us and posterity,”
On
banking for another version of autonomy to solve the Filipino-Moro conflict to
achieve lasting and durable peace in Filipino-colonized Mindanao, the present
MILF Chairman Alhaj Murad Ibrahim was interviewed and asked by Newsbreak on
January, 2006 on the issue why “autonomy is out of the question.” He answered:
“There has been indirect insinuation for us to accept the leadership of the
ARMM but we are consistent with our stand that this problem cannot be solved by
a solution which has already been tried several times – and failed. We are
consistent with our stand that this problem cannot be solved by a solution
which has already been tried several times without success. Autonomy has been
the solution since the inception of the problem, even during the Marcos regime.
They have been implementing all forms of autonomy, there have been different
variations, revisions, but as we know until now, this did not solve the
problem. So why go for a solution that will definitely fail, that will not
solve problem?”
Indeed,
“why go for a solution that will definitely fail, that will not solve problem?”
But, is the present Aquino government listening?
http://mnlfnet.com/Articles/BHN_17Nov2014_Salute%20to%20Atenews%20and%20Mindanao%20Youth%201.htm
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