President Benigno Aquino greets Moro Islamic Liberation Front chieftain Murad Ebrahim at the President’s Hall of the Malacañan Palace and other members of the rebel group on Thursday, March 27, 2014. And the exchange of agreement between MILF and the Aquino government. (Photo by Ryan Lim)
Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles and MILF chieftain Murad Ebrahim. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 27, 2014) – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has thanked all those who supported the peace talks following the signing Thursday of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Aquino government at the Presidential Palace.
President Benigno Aquino reminisced his first meeting with Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF, and rebel chieftain Murad Ebrahim, in Tokyo in August 2011 where they spoke about the peace process.
“This move took many by surprise. There were those who reacted with intense skepticism followed by criticism: The MILF, after all, was a group that had long been locked in combat with our troops. The most vocal of these naysayers expressed tremendous criticism, assailing my integrity, alleging that I had ulterior motives, and casting doubt on my administration’s commitment to transparency. Some asked: Were we not granting the MILF undue leverage in the negotiations? Of what significance was a face-to-face meeting in ending an insurgency that had raged and festered for two generations?”
“Even as a congressman, I had often wondered how two panels, representing intense antagonists in a decades-long conflict, could be expected to possess the modicum of trust needed to advance the peace process. As a member of the opposition, little did I know that only a few years later, upon taking office as President, I would be the one tasked to solve this dilemma. When the negotiations with the MILF had reached a very serious deadlock, I decided that the time had come to personally reach out and try to achieve that modicum of trust that could advance the peace process. I asked to meet Chairman Murad so that we could talk in an earnest manner, and our long-time ally Japan graciously and instantly agreed to host our meeting,” he said.
Aquino said talking personally with Murad felt that he was prepared to come to the table not as an adversary, but as a friend who shared a singular aspiration for peace.
“And so the seeds of trust were planted, and consequently nourished by the hard work of all stakeholders. In October of 2012, a Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed, providing a roadmap and solidifying the trust that the panels had for each other. Communities on the ground—whether Muslim, Christian, or Lumad—likewise bought into the dream of consequent development for the region. At the forefront were the panels and their mediator, who hammered out annex after annex, aware that transforming our ideals into tangible realities required consummate attention to the details,” he said.
“And just as this chapter of positive engagement with the MILF began in a foreign land, in a country that shares with the Filipino people the aspiration of regional peace, stability, and harmony, so too did this current chapter in our saga unfold. On the 25th of January, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the final Annex on Normalization was jointly signed by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Today, we will witness the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,” he added.
Aquino thanked also thanked those who supported the peace process, including foreign governments that were involved in the peace talks.
“If we sustain the momentum for peace, by 2016, the MILF will have shed its identity as a military force, and transformed itself into a political entity, casting its stake in democracy by vying for seats in the Bangsamoro elections. The Bangsamoro shall form a perimeter of vigilance against the spread of extremism; it shall act as a bridge of moderation among the great faiths of the various constituencies in ASEAN.”
“From this shared security, we shall enhance the era of prosperity that is dawning upon our region, and harness its energies towards creating a regime of opportunity and inclusivity where no one is left behind. As the Bangsamoro matures, it shall serve as the gateway to trade, investment, and cultural exchanges within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area and its environs—igniting a virtuous cycle of security, development, and equitable progress for the peoples of the entire region,” Aquino said.
Iqbal, in a short message to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner, said: “We want to thank everybody and all those who supported us in the common quest to peace, just and lasting peace for each and everyone.”
Peace advocate Father Eliseo Mercado also praised the signing of the peace agreement. “We celebrate the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Wishing the GPH and the MILF all the power and blessings to make peace and prosperity a reality for all the inhabitants of the Bangsamoro Territory, hopefully within my lifetime, all our cooperation and support,” he said.
Muslims in the autonomous region in Mindanao also held various programs in support to the peace deal signing. The governors of the Muslim autonomous region – Totoh Tan, of Sulu; Jum Akbar, of Basilan; Esmael Mangudadatu, of Maguindanao; Nurbert Sahali, of Tawi-Tawi and Mamintal Adiong, of Lanao del Sur, were also in the ceremony to witness the signing of the accord.
New Moro National Liberation Front chieftain Abul Kayr Alonto, whose faction claimed to have replaced Nur Misuari, has also publicly thrown his support to the peace agreement. Alonto, who was among the original founding members of the MNLF, also urged Muslims to support the accord.
Alonto said his group is supporting the peace process and also urged Congress to approve the new political entity called Bangsamoro which shall replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao.
““The Moro people want to set their house in order but how can they set their house in order when the very key to their own hands is not in their own hands. And the sad part is that the people who want to govern them do not even speak the language that the people to be governed speak. Ito na po ang key and I believe the taught by my grandfather was saying that the key is not in their hands, the key now is the framework basic law that we look forward to that will be approved by Congress or through Constitutional amendment, please do so, let’s do it so that we can unite and spare the future generation of a war of aggression,” Alonto said.
“I will look forward that when the establishment of this government we can have a full fiscal autonomy we can budget what we need, all these revenues coming from our resources just to catch up with the nation must be used for a free education, free health and free shelter para po ang inyong kawawang sambayanang Moro sa timogan Pilipinas ay magkaroon ng pagkakataon to set their house in order and establish a place in the sun for their children and children to be,” he added.
The British Ambassador to the Philippines, Asif Ahmad, called the signing of the peace deal as a “fantastic occasion.”
He said the presence and support of Christian, Lumad and Muslim representatives from Mindanao as well as senators, congressmen, civil society and the international community and media, all underscored the significance of this historic peace agreement.
“Given Malaysia’s important role facilitating the talks, it was fitting that amidst the tragic disappearance of Malaysian Air flight MH370, Prime Minister Najib and Tengku Abdul Ghafar were able to attend and witness the signing. The peace accord is a truly Filipino solution to the conflict that will not just bring benefit to Mindanao but to the country as a whole and of which all Filipinos can be proud,” he said, adding “it is moments like these that diplomats strive for and few have the privilege of being a part of a moment of history. I applaud everyone, including colleagues from the UK who have made a contribution to peace.”
Ahmad said the successful implementation of the accord demonstrates the Philippines’ increasing political maturity, its ability to accomplish things that have been intractable in the past and its potential to emerge as one the world’s economic powers. He said the Bangsamoro has the opportunity to develop best practice for other parts of the Philippines and other countries where there is a history of strife, including in the historic roles being played by women in this process.
“Those who will eventually assume key roles in the Bangsamoro will carry the hopes and wishes of the nation on their shoulders. They will be judged not by the importance of their positions, but by the tangible improvements they bring about in the daily lives of citizens. There will undoubtedly be challenges ahead, but with the continued commitment, courage and creativity that has made this agreement possible the dividends of peace will inevitably be realized,” he said.
Aquino also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for Malaysia’s assistance in facilitating the peace talks between the government and the MILF.
“We know for a fact that Malaysia is undergoing a crisis owing to the fact of the disappearance of the Malaysian airline. Be that as it may, Malaysia is fully aware of its international commitments and we thank them that despite the difficulty that they’re encountering, that they have accepted our invitation to grace the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
Aquino and Najib also spoke matters of mutual concern between the Philippines and Malaysia. Najib was also in Manila in October 2012 to witness the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. (Mark Navales)
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