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Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Espinoza: Another chance for peace
By Espinoza: Another chance for peace
MEND FENCES. The Philippines hopes to hit two birds with one stone when it attends the 30th foreign ministers meeting of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Teheran, Iran this coming week.
What observers expect would be for our government leaders to mend fences with Islamic states that have frowned on its bid to have the Moro rebels listed as foreign terrorists; and seek their assistance in mediating peace. I am confident our country has a valuable asset in Foreign Secretary Blas Ople, who has been invited to the meeting by Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Kamal Karsai.
Somehow one is led to believe that, with this opportunity, we can rest assured that despite the ongoing military campaign of the government against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Islamic states have not given up hope of peace in Mindanao.
This should be a welcome development, especially at this time when the President has in mind to see for herself the plight of the evacuees in the island.
Mr. Karsai spoke of the Philippines as “partners in pursuing global stability and growth, as well as in bringing peace and development to the Southern Philippines.”
In light of this development, it is safe to conclude that the OIC Committee of Eight head-ed by Indonesia will meet with the Philippine delegation on the sides of the ministerial conference to tackle Manila’s bid for observer status in the OIC.
It has become clear even to the international community of nations that the Philippines has sought assistance from the OIC to help facilitate the peace process with the MILF after the latter intensified attacks in Mindanao.
Another point Foreign Secretary Ople may do well to explain would be the Philippines’ request for Washington to list the MILF as foreign terrorists because of its warlike stance in the region.
Meanwhile, Yudhistranto Sungadi, political officer of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, said the Committee of Eight will also discuss the integration of members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) into the military.
It may have come to the attention of OIC leaders that the Philippines has signed a memorandum of agreement with the US that provides incentives and resources to retrain former MILF fighters to help them reenter local communities through livelihood and community improvement programs. The agreement was signed in the White House during the state visit of President Arroyo.
Since 1999, the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) has provided financial aid to help 13,000 of the 25,000 former MNLF fighters in the program. The Usaid is allocating $11.5 million in direct support to the remaining 12,000 former rebels and an additional $21.3 million for broader assistance to health, environment, economic and agricultural development in Mindanao.
These facts may help achieve an enduring roadmap for peace in Mindanao for many years to come.
It would do well for the pro-Charter-change advocates in both chambers of Congress to bear these things in mind and pave the way for a better understanding of the people on what provisions in the Constitution need to be amended to be able to build a strong Republic. This can be achieved only if our political leaders start explaining their views on the subject in a public forum.
(May 27, 2003 issue)
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