Amending the Constitution for Muslim Mindanao

Although there is nothing definite, Pres. Noynoy Aquino has expressed his willingness on the idea that the Constitution be amended to finally achieve peace in Muslim Mindanao.

Leaders in that part of the country stress that they have abandoned pushing the idea of secession. Instead, they favor that some regions of Mindanao be given the right to self-rule. One of the dailies remembers that:

“Nearly nine years of negotiations under then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had led to the drafting of a landmark accord that would have given expanded autonomy to a Moro homeland in 2008. The deal required constitutional amendments, and was scuttled by fierce opposition from Christian politicians, who feared losing land and clout to minority Muslims. . . . The Supreme Court later declared the deal unconstitutional.”

Should there be a Constitutional amendment to accommodate our Muslim countrymen’s dream for a self-rule or autonomy, how is “self-rule” or “autonomy” defined? Does it mean that they have to impose Islamic Law like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan or Pakistan? 

Filipinos with different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds still live under one Flag and again, depending on the provisions of the proposed blueprint of the self-rule clause, if approved and goes well, will Christians in the Moro land be subjected to Islamic rule? Will there still be freedom of religion, movement and conscience? Does it also mean that the Muslims will get back their lands, by force if necessary, now owned and developed mostly by Christians? 

Since secession is not what they are looking for, common sense assures that they will still be dependent to the government of the republic and that they will have no armed forces of their own. In simpler terms, they would be in a “federal” Muslim region.

It is unfair for me to speculate whether the government’s stand in giving way to amending the Constitution is the panacea of all the problems besetting Mindanao and the country in general. The first step in reaching peace is for the government and Muslim representatives to go back to the negotiating table after the Ramadan, thresh out their differences and find common interests to resolve their differences. Both must act in good faith otherwise, the much publicized forthcoming negotiations will again be worthless.

Amending the Constitution is a process. It starts from Congress and ends to the hands of the citizenry through plebiscite. In case of a plebiscite, where does the government get the resources when it is cash strapped by the spendthrift Arroyo government?

If the Muslim demand is accommodated, who can stop other indigenous and tribal groups to go to the government and ask the same “self-rule” given to the Muslims? -30-

After Ramadan: Diplomacy or War?

First, may our Filipino Muslim brethren (and all followers of Allah around the world) truly experience a fruitful Ramadan. In the name of Allah, the Merciful, peace and blessings!

As Ramadan starts, the entire nation is surprised with the veiled threat of Moro Islamic Federation Front (MILF) chair Ebrahim Murad bragging that his troops are ready with 60,000 weapons if peace talk negotiations with the government fail.

On the government side, the Armed Forces says that it is “’tired of fighting’ and would want to end its three-decades-old war with the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) through the resumption of peace negotiations”.

If peace talks are botched, the possibility of an all our war is possible if threats are hatched.

Enough is enough with wars please! Mindanao, the Land of Promise and its people suffered a lot and continue to suffer because of spiraling conflicts. Mindanao, blessed with vast resources of tapped and untapped minerals and natural resources is the richest among the primary group of islands. Yet, in terms of development it is the poorest. The perennial bloody conflict shoos tourists, investors and even government projects to flow into Mindanao to their disadvantage. That adds misery to their economy and development.

We understand that Muslims in the South want to secede parts of Mindanao from the Republic and establish their own Muslim State. The Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, ruled by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional, would empower the MILF to set up self-rule in parts of Mindanao.

Why do they want to secede?

Some claim that they are discriminated against by the government because of their religion and that government graces are slow or acute in their respective provinces.

My friends from that part of the country have a different perspective. They say that all government projects ranging from infrastructure and name-them-they-have-them ventures from the national government intended to improve their livelihood and quality of life are there. “You can easily tell the difference between a Muslim village from a Christian village,” my friends continued. “The latter are more developed than the former”.

Why?

My acquaintances in Davao and Cotabato said in whisper, “differences in values”.

During the presidency of Ramon Magsaysay, there was the so-called Homestead Act. Explained in simple words, that government initiative encouraged those eager to go to Mindanao to clear the vast fertile and virgin lands as the first step of development and growth. Many Ilocanos responded and throughout the years, some were  able to acquire dozens of hectares of land. Now that Mindanao is developed, some Muslims want  to take back their now–developed lands from the hands of Ilocanos.

The problem is not that simple.  Till now, solution of the problems in Mindanao is very illusive but I am sure that it can be found.--- only if the negotiating parties are sincere and honest.

oOo

The country, weakened by the Arroyo administration because of mismanagement, graft and corruption, is wobbling on its feet. Now, we hear saber rattling from the MILF. History tells that war, international or homegrown has not yet solved anything. If it seems to have solved one, other problems, perhaps more deadly, reappear.

Thus, we strongly suggest that the government and the MILF must go to the negotiating table and thresh out their differences, find solutions and cooperate to lay out the blue print of peace and nay, development.

In case of an all out war, we have to consider the collateral damages like the displacement of people from the war zone and the destruction of life and property.

Our MILF friends may have 60,000 weapons and thousands of fighters but they do not have tanks, fighter jets, radars, navy, logistics and necessary training to engage in a war with the AFP.  The government, tired of fighting, looks determined to end the war.  That can be translated into a "devastating and convincing annihilation of the MILF".

So, what is next after the Ramadan? Diplomacy or war? -30-