ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 24, 2012) – The Philippine government has abandoned its earlier “three-for-one” proposal to Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in an effort to save the peace talks.
Peace negotiators resumed talks in Kuala Lumpur and both sides have identified preliminary decision points on principles that will serve as a framework for the eventual signing of a peace agreement.
“Our panels decided to look at what may be common between our proposals. We have identified at least 11 points where we might have an agreement and found language for at least ten points,” chief government peace negotiator Marvic Leonen said, adding the Aquino government has moved beyond its “three-for-one” proposal.
Manila’s proposal has three components - socio-economic development wherein the MILF partners with government in the implementation of projects and creation of a Bangsamoro Commission, wherein the MILF gets three out of 9 slots; and finally, the rewriting of Moro history on the premise, without stating, that Moro narration is part of the national reality.
“Our panels, and our principals, know that these are only an initial set of agreements which must be contextualized later by the full final agreement,” Leonen said.
He said to mark their agreement and progress, both sides agreed to craft it in a “signable” document as suggested by the MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group which has been fighting for decades for self-determination.
But Leonen clarified to the rebel group that the decision points are “not unreasonably set in stone.”
He said despite the different standpoints of the peace panels, they continue to share one common goal of attaining just peace in Mindanao.
“If we are to find workable and meaningful answers to the Bangsamoro question, it may be time for us to spend more time to look seriously at each other's reasons rather than to cause our people to believe that we rattle our sabers. We have seen the face of armed conflict; and both of us know that it is the least of the options that we want to pursue,” Leonen said.
Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF chief peace negotiator, said before Monday resumption that Manila of forcing upon them its proposal for a wider autonomy in Mindanao.
Iqbal said the MILF is demanding a Muslim sub-state in the southern region similar to Malaysia, but Manila flatly rejected this and offered the five-province Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao.
“We have already rejected this proposal and we will continue to do so, because it will never solve the age-old problem in Mindanao. On the contrary, it would only prolong and complicate it,” he said.
He said the current state of the negotiation is so tough and fraught with complexities that unless the Aquino government “sees the light of our proposal for a state-sub-state asymmetrical arrangement and adopt it, we see no instant or forthcoming breakthrough.”
Iqbal said close to the end of the second year in office of President Benign Aquino, no substantive agreement has been signed with the government, adding much of it was spent on peripheral issues.
“Our negotiation with the government has dragged on for more than a decade already. Since January 1997, we have already dealt with four Philippine presidents and ten chief peace negotiators or peace panels, not to mention the signing of around 90 documents on various issues and concerns.”
“Combine all these with the time, efforts, and resources that both peace panels and their principals - and the Malaysian government as facilitating country - have invested on this peace process, the result would be staggering and awesome,” he said.
He said finding the political solution to the conflict in Mindanao remains on the negotiating table. “It is therefore time to conclude this negotiation under the Aquino administration. Passing the buck to the next administration is not a good policy. It is laden with uncertainties,” Iqbal said.
He said what the MILF wants is for the Muslims to run their own internal affairs, pursuant to the principle of the right to self-determination and essence of real autonomy.
“This is the reason why the agenda on power-sharing, wealth-sharing, territory and interim arrangement are on the negotiating table. We are not seceding from this Republic; the future Moro sub-state or whatever name we can agree with the government to call it is still part of the larger Philippine state,” Iqbal said.
“Through this state-sub-state arrangement, the Moros would like to stand on their own feet. Whether they swim or they drown, they themselves are to be blamed. It is time to prove which of the two sides of the argument is correct: The Moros are a problem, hence, referred to as Moro Problem or their marginalization is caused by outsiders especially the suffocating effects of the unitary system prevailing in this country. The Moros are much maligned, despised, or even hated - why not let them self-destruct by giving them their sub-state? This sounds nihilistic, but we are solving a problem. Sometimes, in curing a serious illness you have to amputate a leg, hand, or finger.”
Dipetik dari - The Mindanao Examiner
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