Intelligent reflections, by MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal and his government counterpart Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, on the state of the and challenges faced by the peace process in Mindanao. Iqbal during Session 1 on the “Challenges for the Bangsamoro Future: Post-CAB” acknowledged that the challenges ahead are “complex and stunning” but parties must ensure that the agreement is implemented in letter and spirit. “Many a good agreement fails to address a particular problem and halt the conflict, because in the end, there is that tendency especially of the powerful partner to dilute the content of the political document like the CAB when the legislated form takes place,” Iqbal said, adding that he consequence would be “that the other party, usually the insurgent side, will be forced to swallow the hook, line and sinker offered to it or reject it outright.” “In both scenarios, the conflict will continue to exist, oftentimes with much fury, because in the first case, other armed groups, usually the more radical ones which do not believe in peace negotiation will condemn the perceived sell-out and will carry on the struggle. In the second scenario, rejection of the watered down legislation would be the handiest recourse of the other party, say the MILF,” said Iqbal, the longest serving chair of the MILF peace panel for 11 years out of the 17-year old negotiations. Iqbal quickly added: “Right now, I still have that faith (in) President Benigno Aquino III that he would not allow the impending full success story of the GPH-MILF peace process to just be waylaid by circumstances” because “real peace in Mindanao is truly befitting his legacy to the nation at large and the generations yet to come.” “The possibility of a watered down BBL is perhaps more in the mind of people rather than what he intends to do, in partner with Congress. After all, it was he who said time and again that he will not sign an agreement that he cannot implement. The MILF is holding on to this commitment of the President,” Iqbal said. GPH peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer cited five challenges in the post-signing phase: the element of time, the parties to the agreement themselves, sustaining public trust and support, inclusivity, and how to ensure that the goodwill coming from international community is used judiciously and effectively and that the support empowers a broad base of men and women and engenders self-reliance, not dependence. On the challenge of time, Ferrer said there are “so many things to do, but too little time to put everything in place” but added the challenge remains that they finish the task they had agreed upon by 2016. “We cannot panic. We must do things systematically and decisively.” Ferrer also stressed that the entire government machinery is behind the peace process. “The coming of the President tomorrow (to Hiroshima on Tuesday, June 24), is the best evidence,” she said. On the challenge to the GPH and MILF, there is a need to “address fears that cause paranoia, rumor mongering, emotional outbursts” as well as organizational challenges that the MILF needs to address, she said. The need to sustain public trust and support is also a challenge because while there are many who support the peace process, there are those who continue to use violence as well as those who want to support the agreement conditionally. “We tell them, only God can give the guarantees but God will help those who help themselves,” she said. On inclusivity, Ferrer stressed that Mindanao, the Bangsamoro are not monolithic entities but “multiple narratives multiple identities, multiple claimants, stakeholders” and should have “just share of benefits for everyone” as well as “just recognition of rights and legitimacy of the different stakeholders.” “Peace dividends are not spoils of war. There must be equitable distribution of the dividends of peace,” she said.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 04:15:20 +0000
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