STAUNCH supporters of the Aquino administration and those who love peace want the immediate passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as this is the only way to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao. They said that BBL is not only for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is negotiating with the government, but for the Muslim people in that area.
Critics want to delay or even reject the passage of the bill claiming that the MILF hierarchy is not sincere in the peace talks in view of the Mamasapano, Maguindanao encounter between the Special Action Force (SAF) and combined Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) and MILF rebels that left 44 SAF members killed.
Others say the BBL is unconstitutional. But only the Supreme Court can declare a law as unconstitutional. And to be fair, it's not the entire BBL that is unconstitutional but perhaps only some of its provisions.
The problem is that the MILF leadership is demanding that provisions of the BBL should not be touched. Rather, the Constitution should be amended to fit the questioned provisions. They even warned that full-scale war will erupt in Mindanao if the BBL is not passed.
With this kind of attitude, one can ask if the MILF is holding the government hostage. Is that negotiation when the other party is imposing its whims and caprices on the other party? Is that negotiation when the barrel of a gun is pointed at your nose? For me this is too much.
I agree that the BBL is not for the MILF alone but for all the Muslims in Mindanao. But even if the BBL is passed, do you think we can achieve peace there? I doubt.
Note that there is an ongoing military offensive against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Peace in MILF-controlled areas but war on the BIFF side?
Many people have been displaced because of the intensified military operations. Even with the BBL, the same situation will continue. Again, can we achieve peace?
Aside from the BIFF, a new group called the Justice Islamic Movement (JIM) has emerged. The people behind this group are former MILF commanders who broke away to pursue their own agenda. I believe that JIM is also funded by international terrorist groups to sow terror in Mindanao.
How can we achieve peace when there are groups who engage in an armed struggle in the area? Are we going to negotiate also with these groups? Ato na lang i-chop-chop nang Mindanao.
Those who think that the BBL will solve the ongoing conflict in Mindanao are not from that area. They are from Luzon, which is very far from the troubled area.
They don't know the culture and tradition of our Muslim brothers. Even our government negotiators are not from that place that is why they succumbed to the demands of their MILF counterparts.
History shows that our Muslims brothers are not always united. There was the Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM), then the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which later broke into three factions, one of them being the MILF.
There is the Abu Sayyaf in the Basilan and Sulu areas, side by side with the MNLF-Misuari faction. Then the BIFF and now JIM. What's next? Maybe Moro Islamic Liberation Organization (MILO). Sunod ani Ovaltine na.
The Tausog, which is dominant in Sulu, and the Yakans in Basilan cannot co-exist with the Maranaws and Maguindanaons that control Central Mindanao. They have different cultures. Believe me, I was exposed to their culture and tradition when I was still in Zamboanga City.
We cannot discount the possibility that the dreaded Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) in the Midde East will tie up with one of the armed groups here. The Boko Haram in Nigeria has links with Isis. If this happens, the peace and order in that place will deteriorate further.
The other week, I met a province mate who lives in the Sibuco, Siocon and Siraway areas in Zamboanga del Norte. These places were under the control of the MNLF in the ‘80s. He told me that they are now arming themselves in preparation for a possible war if the BBL is passed. He said most of the residents there are opposing the BBL because it will give more power to the Muslims.
Karon gani nga wala pa nang BBL maghawod naman gani kana sila didto, labi na gyud og mapasar na. Unya makakab-ot ka ug kalinaw ana?
(bobby.nalzaro@yahoo.com)