An international expert on disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration or DDR underscored the importance of ensuring that combatants
learn to ease their way out of the culture and context of conflict and for the
government to deliver its commitments for normalization so that a conflict
resolution program such as the ongoing peace process in Mindanao
would be successful.
DDR expert Stavros "Aki" Stavrou, in a forum with
actors involved in the Bangsamoro peace process, stressed that a successful
normalization process is the best deterrent to radicalization that is now
spreading in the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) areas in the
Middle East and Central Asia .
Stavrou pointed out that "the real question is whether
ex-combatants have indeed become ex-combatants—that you have taken those people
out of the culture and context of conflict."
Providing stability and sustainability to these
ex-combatants are important in ensuring they would not be enticed to return to
armed radicalism.
"If you are able to attract the most number of
combatants possible in the process, then you are in a good position to prevent
ISIS-like elements from emerging. But if you don't deliver, you will definitely
see resistance," Stavrou said.
The communities also must be involved in the normalization
process by ensuring they are sensitive to acting immediately on or preventing a
situation that would make ex-combatants return to their old ways. "You
need to sensitize both the ex-combatants and the communities properly. You cannot
have situations wherein ex-combatants are being taken advantage of again."
"The normalization phase is the time to plant the seeds
of development. However, this can only happen when we treat our partners from
across the negotiating table with the same respect we'd afford ourselves,"
said Stavrou.
Aside from the political and socio-economic aspects of
normalization, Stavrou maintained that psycho-social interventions were equally
important. "The psycho-social component of conflict lingers the most. You
need to institute programs to address that in order to put an end to the cycle
of conflict and violence,” he added.
The Philippine government has been engaged in a peace
process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for more than 17 years. A
milestone was reached a year ago with the signing of the Comprehensive
Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) that served as basis in the drafting of the
proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Parallel to the roadmap toward the establishment of the
Bangsamoro government that will replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) is the normalization process which aims, among others, to
decommission MILF weapons and allow the group's combatants to return to
peaceful and productive civilian lives.
Stavrou provided a rundown of essentials for the
normalization process to succeed such as guiding principles, core elements,
organizational characteristics and implementation structures as well as
possible funding modalities.
Currently working as a senior social development specialist
at the World Bank, Stavrou has been at the forefront of reintegration programs
with ex-combatants for more than 15 years. He oversaw and implemented
normalization-like initiatives in Iraq ,
Eritrea , Sierra Leone , and Sudan
Earlier, government peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said
that "by forging a peace agreement with the government, the MILF has
committed to renounce violence and terrorism as an ideology and way of
life."
"The full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement
on the Bangsamoro will ensure that the leaders and followers of the MILF will
desist from going the way of the ISIS ,"
she added.
The normalization process, including the decommissioning of
MILF forces and weapons, shall be implemented by the executive branch and will
coincide with and shall be commensurate to the implementation of all the
agreements of the Parties.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=750240
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