DOUBTS on the inclusion of six municipalities of Lanao del Norte in the incoming Bangsaomo Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are hovering.
With the overwhelming votes for “yes” for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City, Isabela, and other areas, all that is left to anticipate now is the next plebiscite on February 6. The campaigns for the non-inclusion of some Lanao del Norte areas still continue.
It is true that the rise of BARMM will be the fulfillment of the wish of majority of the Bangsamoro people for autonomy, better governance, as well as peace.
During the plebiscite on January 21, many Muslims who voted for BOL said that they want BARMM to happen because they want a government that is finally for them.
They said that they voted for BARMM because they are Muslims. They want to be part of a government that is for the Muslims.
Many municipalities in Lanao del Norte are also populated by a competitive number of Muslim-Meranaws. However, despite this, the Quibranza-Dimaporos of the Province themselves, despite being pro-BOL, are against the inclusion of some of Lanao del Norte’s municipalities to BARMM.
On their campaigns and some news articles, aside from the economic losses in Lanao del Norte upon the inclusion of the six municipalities, were issues on transparency in the funds.
Some also argued that they do not want to be part of another experiment such as the failed Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
There are two principles clashing on the issue of the inclusion of the Lanao del Norte municipalities: Whether Muslims in Lanao del Norte should go for BARMM because of identity and the decades-long wishes for a genuinely autonomous government, or the doubts casted on the new Region.
Would they prioritize their identity as Muslims first, or become skeptical of the new region?
Furthermore, there have also been no plans yet as to what province the six municipalities should belong to, should the double majority votes for the inclusion to BARMM would win in the February 6 plebiscite.
I think that the new BARMM would already be self-sufficient and enough if they only have the current provinces of ARMM with it. There might really be no real need to include some Lanao del Norte areas to BARMM.
However, it would really be an economic asset to BARMM if they have strong agricultural municipalities like Balo-i and Pantar included in the region.
Furthermore, many Muslims would still want to return and be part of a government made for them and benefit on some of the provisions of BARMM, such as some privileges in the Shari’ah court.
But nonetheless, above anything else, I am praying for a peaceful plebiscite in Lanao del Norte on February. May the real pulse of the people be heard, free from violence, interruptions and manipulations.
(rizsunio@gmail.com)