Monday, September 08, 2008 Ledesma: The negotiator By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
THE annulled Memo of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, which defines the proposed jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, has stirred the hornet's nest.
Suddenly we are overwhelmed with "experts" who fed us with a deluge of ideas on how to negotiate with rebel groups. I personally do not buy that line that there were no public consultations made on the issue of BJE.
In Davao City for example, presentations were done at Grand Menseng Hotel last year. It ran for almost a week. Early part of this year, consultations were also done at the Insular Hotel.
Problem was, because the subject was about "Bangsamoro Juridical Entity," very few sectors were interested in it. Sometimes the forums are called by other names. Even the media consider the matter lackluster to merit front-page treatment or attention. Had the event organizer dubbed it "Expanding Armm's territory," I am sure that those in lethargy could have been jolted.
Irene Santiago, an advocate for peace and one of the longest serving member of the government peace panel, told me that in Cotabato City alone they had several consultations made not only on Bangsamoro homeland but several other issues of concern to include the ceasefire agreement.
I believe Irene, for her statement was confirmed by now Press Secretary Jesus Dureza and previous members and observers of the peace process.
All this jazz about absence of consultation is nothing but dressings to fiery oratories of politicians seeking election for the highest position of the land.
You have to excuse me on this stand but I knew this from where I stand.
But I personally do not begrudge Vice Governor Manny Pinol for his is a rightful indignation. The MILF ought to understand Manny and not engage him in vitriolic brickbats. What went wrong? What triggered the atrocities and manslaughter?
Will Manny Pinol just stand akimbo while villages (including the barrio where I spent my boyhood and early teens in Midsayap) are attacked and harassed by the marauding forces of Umbra Kato?
Two things happened when the news about the MOA was initialed by the negotiating panels. Some eager beavers in the MILF negotiating panel leaked to their ground commanders, among them Umbra Kato and Bravo, that the MOA on AD is a "done deal."
This, to my mind, prompted these commandos to move out of their territories and assault barangays listed in the MOA on AD.
What we saw in Kulambogan, Kauswagan, Iligan City, several towns in North Cotabato, and in Sarangani are a preview of what could possibly happen if and when the MOA on AD is finally signed even before this goes to congress and plebiscite.
Amid the chaos and the sound bites of Manila-based political characters who suddenly became experts on what is obtaining in Mindanao, there is a costly lesson which the government absorbed from this episode that brought about the sudden death of the MOA on AD. These are strictly my personal take and on the assumption that negotiations will resume.
After consultations, the MILF and the government panels must conduct information campaign prior to "initialing" or approval of the draft which are supposed to be included in the talking points in the final phase of the peace pact.
There are MILF ground forces and commanders who do not follow the chain of command.
In which case, the government has to deal with them separately if the mainstream MILF is not adamant to deal with them. Known Muslim community and educational leaders are correct when they branded that the massive assaults and murders that these forces committed are un-Islamic and that they should therefore be dealt with either as criminals or terrorists.
That for as long as weapons of mass destructions are in the hands of the marauders and the region is heavily militarized, no peace can ever be achieved.
The Philippines and the MILF should tackle the issue of disarmament and demilitarization along with demobilization and rehabilitation. If you think this is absurd, then let us not stop wondering why peace will not come around within this decade.
We have seen the face of terror and how weapons that are loose can be used without provocation. Negotiation is still the only acceptable solution but we now see that it takes more than just a piece of initialed document to achieve stable peace. We reject all out war but we have to neutralize Bravo and Kato.
Revival of the peace talk should make disarmament the centerpiece of the negotiation. The government moreover should be put to task here because it must guarantee security for all. This is not a simple task to tackle. This means you have to de-fang warring clans, disarm vigilantes like "Ilaga Movement", demobilize the civilian volunteer organizations, return the military to its barracks and in its lieu integrate some members of the MILF with the police force.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had been recommended by the Ulamas as head of the negotiating panel. Duterte declined of course. Since last week I have been getting a deluge of e-mails extolling Duterte for his brand of leadership.
The mails came from Muslims and Christians here and abroad. I am with you guys but I personally will not place the mayor in a situation where you have a group that is not bound by any ideals or ideology.
But that does not mean that Mayor Duterte cannot face them. He can deal with savagery as he did with the mighty drug and crime syndicates. Of course Mayor Duterte can but I do not think that the MILF will be happy if the mayor puts a delineating line between Umbra Kato and Bravo from the rest of the MILF rebels.
Sen. Mar Roxas as negotiator? That will be the last thing he will ever think of. He fights his battles in the comfort of the Senate hall and only when the issues are populist. Believe me, Korina Sanchez could be a better choice. But, yes, Duterte will be more credible and able.
