TWO MINDANAO CSO LEADERS INVITED TO 43RD FORMAL PEACE TALKS IN MALAYSIA Sunday, Feb 02 2014 Written by Mashod Salik Two CSO leaders from Mindanao were invited to observe the 43rd Exploratory Talks between Government of the Republic of the Philippines and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GPH-MILF) in Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia from January 22-26, 2014. The CSO leaders were Pastor Reu Montecillo of Pakigdait based in Lanao del Norte and Professor Octavio Dinampo of Tulung Lupah Sug, Inc. in Sulu who are council members of the Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus (MPC). Like other observers who had attended previous GPH-MILF peace talks, the two Mindanaoan CSO leaders were invited to witness the flow of discussions at the peace table to be able to know and understand the substantive points in every issue being tackled. Vital issues and salient points that they may obtain from the talks will be relayed to the community to get them informed and updated. It’s expected that their presence in the said negotiation would bring good tidings and provide essential information for Mindanaoans and their mere presence proves that the ongoing diplomatic approach to the Mindanao question is inclusive as emphasized many times by MILF hierarchy. Pastor Reu Montecillo of Pakigdait and at the same time the current chairman of MPC expressed his gratefulness for being chosen as one of the observers in the deliberation of the remaining annex of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB). “Actually I am very happy that we were invited as observers by the GPH-MILF peace panels in this peace talks. We see their temperate acceptance to us not only as observers but impliedly they considered the MPC as one of their partners in achieving peace here in Mindanao.” Montecillo said. He further said that their presence were a recognition of MPC’s peace advocacy programs. MPC is widely known as effective catalyst in the promotion of legitimate peace. “We gained this because we have been building relationship with them even during conflict times despite the risks that we encountered in the past.” he said. “We are praying and doing what we can so that we can achieve genuine peace in our beloved island of Mindanao and to all people living therein.” he added The signing of Annex on Normalization and the addendum on Bangsamoro waters and joint cooperation signed last January 25, 2014 simply shows the sincerity of the two parties in attaining genuine and lasting peace in Mindanao. Professor Octavio Dinampo of Sulu, chief executive officer of Tulung Lupah Sug, Inc. elaborated several reasons why CAB is a better deal compared to the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA). He said CAB’s wealth sharing annex contents clearly and categorically contained the kind of a just and equitable system of sharing both wealth and sources of income generation in the Bangsamoro. “Its power sharing scheme has reinvented the kind of compromise that fits well to both ideals and right to self determination of the Bangsamoro which are not found in the bogus autonomy in the past and the instrumentality serving such vain accommodative structure like the ARMM.” said Professor Dinampo. “The normalization process contains the required DDR components that put beyond use later and subsequent redeployment of the AFP outside the area of the Bangsamoro. That means that the very source of the insecurity of the Moros that explains their arming in the past and armed struggle is finally removed.” he added. He further stressed that the addendum on Bangsamoro territorial waters to the annexes on wealth sharing and power sharing was taken into consideration, all in the interests of benefiting from the richness of its water resources both in what are traditionally found on the surface and the oil down there. This is lacking too in 1996 FPA. Professor Dinampo also warned those in the Bangsamoro areas on the benefit of the success of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and its adverse effects if not favourably voted on during the plebiscite. “The success of the drafting of the BBL and the plebiscite that will be undertaken after its passage in congress shall depend on us (the Bangsamoro people) and our decisions during the plebiscite and support to the crafting of the BBL are paramount to realize our dreams for a peaceful and progressive Moro homeland.” Professor Dinampo said. After nearly 17 years of peace negotiations, the four annexes on the FAB had been completed and the signing of the CAB in February or in March would be a gateway to peace, development and a closure to the seemingly endless decades-old conflict.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Feb 2014 06:37:39 +0000