From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 18):
Statement of Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles at the Oslo Forum 2014
"On March 27, 2014, the Philippine government signed a historic
agreement with the largest secessionist group in our country, the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front or MILF.
The international community played an indispensable role in that agreement.
Responding to the voices of peace among the Filipino people and the
determination of the Philippine government to heed those voices—the world came
to our aid in many ways—through political support, development programs,
technical assistance and, most of all, nurturing the trust and confidence that
drove both sides to cross the rubicon and forge an enduring peace.
If there is a single idea pervading my thoughts at this moment, it is that
peace knows no borders, no political lines, no ethnic demarcations. It has been
my privilege as a peace worker to witness men and women of all origins and
creeds and coming from distant places, gather in one place to stop a conflict,
get the parties to the negotiating table and nurture peace talks to fruition.
In many parts of the world, nameless, faceless guardians of peace engage in
the most formidable duties in behalf of humanity—many facing supreme
sacrifices, at times failure or defeat, but never losing faith in the argument
that peace is possible if we try hard enough.
The “Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro” that we have entered into
with the MILF draws from the experience of our nation and people stretching
almost half a century into the past.
Our people have endured terror, death and displacement of the most desolate
kind.
The Philippine government signed a peace agreement in 1996 that turned out
to be a failed experiment - with peace remaining elusive and beyond our grasp.
Our efforts to put the process back on track were met with resistance,
setbacks, and sabotage as the secessionist movement was broken into two armed
groups.
It was only under President Aquino when, three years ago, he himself chose
to break the impasse by meeting personally with the leader of the MILF, Kagi Al
Haj Murad, who joins the Oslo Forum for the first time this year. They agreed
to move forward, and, since then, both sides have persisted at the peace table,
determined to craft an agreement that would be convergent and inclusive of all,
especially of the communities that have suffered most from the long war.
Before the year ends, our legislators have committed to pass a law that will
bring about much needed political and socio-economic reforms under a new
regional government, the “Bangsamoro.”
This will be followed by a plebiscite in the areas under the scope of the
law next year, ensuing a brief transition period until regional elections are
held in May, 2016.
As we move to achieve these political milestones, the parties have also
began to put in place a comprehensive and sustainable normalization process
that will, through a multi-track approach, ensure that the weapons and the
forces of the MILF are put beyond use and communities are transformed from
conflict and despair to hope, productivity, and a chance at new beginnings.
We dare to say it is a democratic process bursting into full bloom.
And we take great pride that this process has been led and stewarded by
Filipino women in unprecedented numbers, including the first woman in the world
to sign such an agreement in the role of chief negotiator.
The role of the international community in encouraging us through a long and
difficult peace process cannot be over emphasized. Let me pause and address our
gratitude to the government and people of
Norway – thank you for being our faithful
partner through your participation in the International Monitoring Team as well
as accepting the invitation of the parties to serve as a member of the
Independent Decommissioning Body for our Bangsamoro peace process. Thank-you
also for your continued willingness to serve as facilitator for peace talks
between government and the communist insurgent forces.
For peace to have a fighting chance, we need to build sturdy institutions to
support it, at the global, regional, and national levels, institutions that are
represented at the Oslo Forum.
Dialogues for peace are a necessity, not a luxury – and its agenda must be
developed through a bottom-up approach where those with the most hurt and
hunger will have the best chance to obtain justice and human security."
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=654777
