DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/31 August) – “There is a very strong clamor for the continuation of the peace talks (between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front) but ignorance of the issues is prevalent. Very strong demand for ‘sincerity’ of both camps, but more specially of the Government.”
That is among the initial recommendations from the focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted by Konsult Mindanaw, the group commissioned by the Bishops-Ulama Forum to do a Multi-sectoral and Cross-regional Community Consultation on the Mindanao Peace Process.
The initial recommendations are from the “Preliminary Output based on Pre-Deadline Regional Reports of Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Central Mindanao, Davao Region, Socksargen, and special FGDs in Visayas and Luzon (290 FGDs).”
Tasked to conduct a “Mindanao-wide and multisectoral consultation to generate ideas and commitment on pushing peace forward,” Konsult Mindanaw! held 300 FGDs in Mindanao, Cebu, Bacolod, Manila, Baguio and Palawan between April and August this year.
Led by project team leader, Fr. Albert Alejo, SJ, Konsult Mindanaw! asked four questions in the FGDs: “What is your vision of peace? What are your recommendations on the peace talks between the GRP and the MILF? What can you recommend on the broader peace process? What can you personally contribute – or even sacrifice – for peace in Mindanao?”
On the recommendations to the GRP-MILF peace talks, Konsult Mindanaw! reported the “very strong clamor” for the talks continuation, as stated in the first paragraph.
As to content of the talks, FGD participants cited the following: “respect for the right to self determination of the Moros as well as the IPs, while recognizing also the legitimate concerns of the Kristiyanos; clarify ancestral domain; address the cause of the conflict; learn all the lessons from the GRP-MNLF agreement; okay if talks involves changing the Constitution, if really necessary.”
On the peace panels, participants recommended that members “should come from Mindanao and are seen to be ‘really able to sympathize with the Mindanao situation;’ if possible, should come from affected communities;” should include women and Lumad; Lumad representation should be stronger; panel members should have clear mandate, not just to be abandoned later by the higher officials; panel members must engage in continuous consultations.”
On the process of the talks: the participants said the biggest issue is “SINCERITY, more than techniques in negotiation. Should not be very secretive; some opine that if possible, talks should be done in Mindanao.”
On People’s Participation, FGD participants “were just very happy to have been consulted.”
“Peace Talks should have a built-in mechanism for people’s participation. Even if in many occasions, there are no new substantive contribution, their ownership of the process is extremely important,” the Konsult Mindanaw report said.
On Communications Program, the FGD participants said the peace talks “must a develop an effective and sincere communication program” both vertical and horizontal.
“Vertical communication involves the panels sharing updates on issues and options to the people, and that the people have a proper venue and channel by which they can convey their opinions to the peace panels. Horizontal communication involves the exchange between and among regions and sectors; people want to talk with other groups across ethnic lines and regional boundaries,” the report said.
On “Coordination, Mandate, and Support Mechanism,” FGD participants “notice the lack of coordination among the different government agencies. Peace panels may tend to agree on an approach, but the military may have a different direction, the Legislature may complain that lawmen are not informed, and later Executive may abandon the whole process. OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process), according to one group discussion must be reviewed in terms of mandate, support, professional development, and job security.”
On “Other stakeholders, some think that the issue of the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front) must also be synchronized with the handling of Bangsamoro struggle, especially for those who are in Northern and Eastern Mindanao.”
“The ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) also feels that they are hardly being engaged in the discussions; this needs serious attention,” the report said.
“MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) voices seem to say they are not in favor of the MILF talks,” the report added.
Konsult Mindanaw! also reported that “Ilongos from the Visayas also feel they must communicate with their Ilongo relatives in Mindanao as contribution to peace.”
FGD participants said children and children’s rights advocates “must also be heard.”
On the broader peace process, the FGD participants recommended the following: “Intensify peace education; deal with children in trauma; healing of wounds; forgiveness; support for host communities; sports for peace; peace parks; change curriculum; livelihood opportunities; arts for peace; interreligious and intra-faith dialogues; investments in conflict areas; create dialogue clubs, not just debating teams in schools; scholarships.”
On personal contribution or sacrifice for peace, the participants cited the following: “Daily prayer for peace and cultivate inner peace; improve the quality of my thought; understand why some are fighting; try to change my bias; compose songs for peace; invest my money in war torn areas; learn language or another tribe; volunteer in relief delivery; deepen my religious knowledge.”
On the vision of peace, FGD participants cited at least six aspects: security, political, economic, cultural, personal, and spiritual, and defined them as follows:
“Security: absence of war, ‘walang patayan,’ absence of fear; assist bakwits;
“Political: there is good governance; no corruption; no illegal practices; respect for rights to land, ancestral domain; Muslims and Lumads occupy their own homeland; good leadership;
“Economic: abundance of food and harvest; opportunities for gainful employment; no environmental degradation; no structural violence
“Cultural: there is harmony and understanding among different tribes; no discrimination;
“Personal: peace starts from the heart of the individual; and then family and community;
“Spiritual: grounded in faith in God; deeper understanding of one’s religion, and if possible understanding of other people’s religion.”
Fr. Albert Alejo told MindaNews Konsult Mindanaw! will have an analysis workshop on September 6 to 11 and will meet with the government peace panel on September 11.
Alejo had earlier said that Konsult Mindanaw! “does not claim to be the official, most exhaustive, most objective and most definitive” consultation on the matter of peace in Mindanao and welcomes other sectors who may want to conduct consultations on the matter among specific sectors only, like women, social scientists, etc…”
“In the end, let’s compare notes” he said.
Alejo said there is in fact a group now, tentatively called “Caucus of Consultation Initiatives” which have met twice to compare notes on their respective consultations on the issue of peace in Mindanao.
Alejo said the Caucus has around 10 member-organizations, among them the Initiatives for International Dialogue, Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus, Alternative Forum for Research in Mindanao.|
The government and MILF peace panels had met in Kuala Lumpur on July 28 and 29 where they announced the year-long impasse had been broken and preparations were being made for the resumption of the peace talks. The panels were supposed to have met again on August 10 in Kuala Lumpur but this was reset to August 21 in deference to the death of the former President, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.
The August 21 meeting did not push through. Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, began August 22 and will end September 22.
In the history of the GRP-MILF talks, peace negotiations are not scheduled during the period of Ramadan or Christmas. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)
Source: http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6903&Itemid=50
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