The following is the text of the speech delivered by Haji Mohajirin T. Ali, the representitive of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in the Patani Peace Festival on 5 January 2014 in the Central Mosque, Pattani Province, Thailand.
********************************************************
I consider it as a rare and great honour for me to be given this opportunity to speak in front of this very prestigious group and share my insights on the four decades of harsh and hard struggle of the Bangsamoro people for the exercise of their right to self-determination in Mindanao. This struggle is deeply rooted in my people’s quest for freedom from the colonization of the Spaniards that lasted for about 320 years. The current struggle in Mindanao is just a continuation of the war that my great, grand forefathers fought.
In 1898 Spain was defeated by the Americans in the famous Battle of Manila Bay. This resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10 of that year. This treaty provided that the Americans paid Spain 20 million Mexican dollars in exchange for the transfer of the so called sovereignty of Spain over the Philippines including the Mindanao, which Spain never conquered and therefore cannot be rightfully sold or ceded to any country. The Moro sultanates continued to lord over this region. Mindanao has always been a separate and foreign entity from the rest of the Philippines.
The truth is that since the start of the American regime in 1898, they did not only sign peace treaties with the Moros, but also created the Moro Province in 1903 to administer the Moro affairs separately from the rest of the country. During that time the Moro province was 90 percent populated by Moros and Indigenous people. When the grant of independence to the Philippines was looming in the air, the Moros refused to be part of it. They wanted the Moro Province excluded and to remain as an American colony and be granted independence separately in the future. But the Americans did not listen to these pleadings, and proceeded to include Mindanao and Sulu in the grant of independence in 1946.
Over the years, Bangsamoro people continuously struggled for their survival and freedom. Oppression, persecution, and confiscation of lands were the rule rather than the exception. Soon after, armed conflict with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines became inevitable and openly escalated into full blown war starting 1972. It was the only option for the Moros.
However, it is the nature of war to be very costly on both sides, especially in terms of lives, livelihood, properties, hoses, jobs, and other opportunities. It also dehumanizes man. A Philippine Government statistics showed that from 1970-1996, some P73 billion were spent by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to buy arms and ammunitions in the campaigns against various Muslim rebel groups. Specifically, the all-out war of then President Estrada against the MILF in 2000 cost the government around P6 Billion. This statistics also showed that at the height of this military campaign in Mindanao cost taxpayers about P30 million daily, excluding the cost for rehabilitation, feeding and medical care for soldiers/civilians killed and wounded.
Thus, it is crystal clear that waging a war is very expensive and that it does not always follow that peace will ensure.
With the war remaining undecided in the battlefield, the government and the MILF had finally decided that there is not better way to achieve a settlement of the conflict in Mindanao except through peaceful means. Negotiation between the two parties started in January 1997 and continues to this day in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Although the conflict was much older than this humble representation, I became a witness on the commencement of the negotiation 17 years ago. However, it was in 2001, the start of the diplomatic stage, that I was officially involved in the negotiation between the MILF the Philippine Government. My active involvement in the negotiation seems to be a continuation of my father’s memorable contribution to the history of the MILF-GPH negotiations. Since then, our journey towards peace has stretched widely and no matter how difficult the road is the people behind it all are determined to put this dream into a reality.
The negotiation on its initial phase seemed to be impossibly achieved, but with both the MILF and the Philippine Government panels persistence and determination, we are where we are now. After almost 17 years of table negotiation, it was under the administration of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III leaedership, sincerity and firm commitment to solve the Bangsamoro Question and the sincere eand consistent struggle of the MILF in the Peace Talks that Panels of both Parties have successfully signed the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) including its three important annexes (Transitional Arrangement and Modalities, Wealth Sharing, Revenue Sharing and Power Sharing) will eventually equip the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) in writing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). Upon its completion the BBL shall be transmitted to Congress for legislation, and then to be ratified by the Bangsamoro people through a plebiscite for it become the governing law for the Bangsamoro.
There were several mechanisms established by both parties to make sure that there is a conducive environment for the negotiation to succeed namely, the International Monitoring Team (IMT) headed by Malaysia, Government and MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), Local Monitoring Team (LMT), Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), and Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI). In the negotiation proper, the parties also created the International Contact Group, which provided for a sort of guarantee that both parties complied with their part of the deal. It became an issue because of the failed signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) last August of 2008. The role of ICG in the peace talks proves to be very vital and effective in overcoming sensitive issues and deadlocks in the negotiation. There were many instances that ICG were able to help both parties overcome challenges.
The rule of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the peace process is also equally important. They focus in the conduct of public consultation in order to gain people’s support and acceptance on the output of the GPH-MILF peace process. In fact, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the group of CSO in Mindanao to help them conduct series of public consultations in crafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law. During the height of armed conflict, CSOs were also actively involved in preserving the ceasefire by organizing the Bantay (Help) Ceasefire. They were also an active member in the Civilian Protection Component of the IMT.
The current meeting in Kuala Lumpur, where I directly came from to make this journey to this country, is discussing the remaining issues on Bangsamoro Waters and the annex on Normalization of the FAB.
The prospect for lasting peace in Mindanao is very promising. the sincerity and commitment of both parties are exceptionally clear. When two sincere and committed partners of peace meet in the negotiating table, they will always find ways to solve and overcome even the most difficult issues that came their way. This has been proven many times during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III and leadership of MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ibrahim.
This is not to say, however, that the road ahead is paved. The truth is that there still be many twists and turns ahead. There are many spoilers who are still lingering around. They merely silenced their guns. They can still surmount many surprises. They have done this for several times before but because of the firm commitment of parties in the peace talks, such challenges have been overcome.
Assalmu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
