Friday, September 12, 2008 Ledesma: Reaching hands By Jun Ledesma Sunbursts
WHAT we went through these last few days is an awakening. I only realized it last week when I had a heart to heart talk with Ibno Turabin, a social activist from Lamitan City who chairs the Basilan Island Development Association.
Something there was in what he said and it dawned on me that this protracted peace negotiation which the government, through several administrations, had been doing all along should have been stopped even before it started. Ibno (he refused to be addressed by his peers by whatever title) said community consultations should have been the way to settling problems and discussing what is best for the community. He said that it is wrong to discuss the fate of the community with people who do not have stakes in the community. The MILF does not represent them. He said that the government should talk directly to the people and, yes, as President Arroyo has said recently, through consultation with the community.
Ibno's idea seemed to be an isolated voice in the wilderness. But actually when you have your ears to the ground, you will suddenly realize that what he is saying is true. What we have been hearing all along are the rattling sounds of guns and vociferous voice from the so-called rebels touting the government eternal troubles in the land if their demands are not met. It's the voices of the warmongers that permeate all nooks and corners all the way to the corridors of Malacañang that had been heard all along. But the stark reality is that an overwhelming majority of the communities, Muslims and Christian alike, in what is known as the conflict areas of Mindanao, does not want to have anything to do with rebellion. All they want is to live a peaceful coexistence with everybody and of course a decent and productive life.
Ibno recalled that decades ago we do not have this kind of trouble in the land of Mindanao. Christians and Muslims co-existed and I will add there were inter-marriages.
I can relate to Ibno because I grew up in the hinterlands of Midsayap, of undivided Cotabato. Our neighbors were Muslims. In the late '40s when we were in short pants and barefoot all the way to '50s and '60s you don't see people with guns. The Muslims had their 'tabas' while the Ilonggos had their "talibongs". Those are their weapons against attackers, snakes and what have you. But heavy weapons started to suddenly emerge in the early 1970's when the MNLF surfaced from know where. Where they part of the props for the declaration of martial law?
Ibno lamented that from then on the image of the Muslims were identified with the gun, with people like Umbra Kato and Kumander Bravo. From the 'tabas' bearing farmer the Muslims are pictured as one who in times of emergencies would rather keep his gun rather than the wife. Warlords surfaced with bodyguards who are armed to the teeth. Oh how we Christians vilify our Muslim brothers for having guns when we ourselves have our own arsenals. What had gone wrong? What should be done?
Brother Ibno suggests that Muslims and Christians must think as one. Think Mindanaoan. We should not listen to politicians from Manila who, he said, and I agree, created monsters out of the gullible amongst us. Politicians had been manipulating us to suit their agenda.
Indeed Ibno is correct. Look at how politicians, especially those with presidential ambitions, perorate over populist issues like how the negotiations should be carried out, etc., etc. But where were they when negotiations were being done? If they had any bright ideas before, then why are they keeping it to themselves and wait for a time for one agenda to falter and condemned all the rest as if nothing good can come out with the negotiation being done by the Arroyo government. But in retrospect, why not condemn the barefaced barter of an autonomous region in exchange for political support from a moribund separatist group, the MNLF, which later metamorphosed into MILF? Ibno theorized that the dead and resurrected MNLF and its clone he MILF were all creation of Manila politicians who are aided by superpower to keep Muslims and Christians divided so that we can be ruled and thereafter manipulated.
That President Arroyo shifted her peace agenda from talking with the MILF panel to directly dialoguing with the communities will give Mindanao a fresh start. As brother Ibno advised, let us think Mindanao. One voice, one island, one goal: a stable peace for Mindanao.
Before we parted Ibno said almost in a whisper. "Ang imahi ng mga Muslim Jun ay maysado ng pumangit dahil sa mga pangyayari. Dapat sana, the Christians should reach out to their Muslim brothers because the overwhelming majority simply wants peace and a productive life. We should go back to the days when during Christmas time, we Muslim kids would join our Christian friends and sing carols to our neighbors. We love those times" " Ibno reminisced.
After my interview with him, courtesy of Chito Pratt, we reached for each other hands in handclasp.
