Saturday, August 30, 2008 Speak out: Ancestral domain By Amado F. Cabaero
THE Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that government peace negotiators initialed with the Moro separatists is by its terms a memorandum of surrender by the government.
It was apparently dictated by the Moro separatists to our negotiators, while Malaysian observers lurked in the background.
Note the lack of reference to the Philippine constitution in the entire text of the document.
Even the Philippine Republic was referred to only as the central government, according to news reports.
Is there any realistic basis at all to hope that the creation of Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) will finally bring peace to Mindanao?
Since time immemorial, the Moros have always been fighting our government forces.
The Americans and all our past 13 presidents tried various ways to bring the Moros to heel but all have failed.
Now, with tails between their legs, our negotiators agreed to surrender to Moro demands in a memorandum of “agreement.”
A BJE would be a thorn on our side.
The experience of Pakistan seceding from India, Kosovo from Serbia, and now South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia could encourage the BJE to expand to the entire Mindanao and Palawan.
Where would that leave the rest of us?
What to do?
Rethink the idea of ancestral domain and autonomy for indigenous people everywhere in the Philippines.
I think this is the root of the problem.
We yield an inch, they want to be the ruler.
I propose that there should only be one government for a nation of Filipinos.
I propose that instead of propagating our differences, government policy should promote our oneness.
The adoption of a national language was a step in the right direction.
It is going to be a long process but let it start today, now!
