I strongly support the peace process. Nonetheless, I have strong reservations. Will this lead to a local government that is more honest, democratic, responsive and representative of its people? Or will it turn insurgents into a private army that intimidate voters into electing rebel leaders into dynastic warlords? What makes the Bangsamoro Region different from the failed Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao where rivalry between two political dynasties led to the horrific Ampatuan Massacre? Will this guarantee peace? Or will the rebels splinter into yet more groups asking for even more concessions? The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) staged the Zamboanga hostage crisis last in reaction to government negotiations with the rival Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). And now the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) is fighting the Philippine armed forces, possibly with help from other rebel groups. There is also the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terror cell. Besides having different leaders and ideologies, these supposedly rival rebel groups are also supposedly split along tribal lines. If a rebel group cannot represent the entirety of the Bangsamoro people or guarantee the loyalty and compliance of its field commanders, perhaps it is best deal directly with rebel field commanders separately, piecemeal, and ignore the supposed rebel leaders and their organization. Will this peace deal lead to equality and equity? Or will it lead to the erosion of womens rights and of tolerance for different beliefs, lifestyles, cultures, and genders under the forced imposition of Islamic law in the autonomous region? I strongly believe that the only way to guarantee religious freedom for all is secularism. Let people choose, practice, change or leave their religion freely. They owe no one any explanation or permission. To categorize people based on belief is wrong. There cannot be a separate law for each religion. The law applies to all or it applies to none. Are we recognizing the aspirations of our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters? Or are we simply rewarding and appeasing rebels for taking up arms while ignoring the legitimate grievances of peaceful indigenous people? Are we encouraging more supposedly breakaway rebel groups with yet more concessions? Already, huge ransoms paid to hostage takers have emboldened these terror groups. I want peace. I want prosperity for all of Mindanao. But will this peace deal give us that?
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 11:00:10 +0000
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