AFTER the unfortunate event concerning the Fallen 44 in Mamasapano, the merits of the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) became the crux of the matter in our search for lasting peace in Mindanao. Pros and cons commentaries were heard and read in TV, internet, both houses in the senate and congress, in forums and campuses. Even common people in the streets, barbershops, markets, malls get to talk about the issue.
Personally, I am for a more critical deliberation of the merits of BBL in the senate and congress. Billions will be spent in the different stages of the implementation of the program, the last one being a plebiscite under the Comelec for its approval by all people of voting age. This is a gigantic undertaking for what? Majority of the Filipinos do not agree because they doubt about the sincerity of the MILF in the peace talks agreements.
Interreligious dialogues must be conducted because Islam is very different from Christianity in their tenets and beliefs. Based on the constitution all citizens of the Philippines have their rights to practice their own ideology and religious affiliations. There must be mutual respect for the groups for a peaceful co-existence.
Islams' sharia laws include politics, banking, business, sexuality, and social issues. The mainstream separate Church from state.
We hear from extremists shouting praises to Allah that suicide bombings are sacred acts to kill persons who are not members of their religion and these perpetrators die and go direct to Allah for their heroic deeds. We remember the horrible suicide attack on the Twin Trade Centers in the USA of September 11. We saw recently on TV rows of blindfolded Christians beheaded and murdered by those who claim allegiance to Islamism. I was deeply touched when I saw one Christian holding up his hands and shouting "Jesus" before he was beheaded. Islamic extremism has indeed been stretched to its most unimaginable, and that is what many remember the religion for.
We believe that in all of us, we seek for the almighty or "bathala" for Christians and Allah for Muslims. We seek peace in the spirit of universal brotherhood of all humankind, religious tolerance, understanding and compassion. It is hard to fathom. The headline clamor in the world's different continents is this -- ISIS is out to conquer the world. This just cannot be. We cannot be bullied this way.
The Moro people take pride in having withstood invasion in the centuries past, and so they claim Mindanao and some look at Christians as outsiders. But there were the indigenous peoples who did not convert to Islam, and there were the indigenous who converted to Christianity, Mindanao is also theirs. Here, you see the hopeless situations where true peace is not within reach. There is divisiveness, being Filipino is not a uniting factor.
The conflicts in Mindanao are endless because of the presence of different warring groups like the Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist entity, NPA, the communist group, the Ampatuans private armies with their unsolved November 23 massacre of media workers and political foes.
Right now, months of conflicts between the military government forces and the BIFF have taken a toll on lives of Filipinos against Filipinos. This must be stopped for the sake of civilians who were dislocated from their peaceful homes. They have nowhere to go. Peace advocates call for an end of all conflicts. Live and let live - to each his own territory. No encroaching. No fighting. Pity your families, wives, children. They need to plant in the fields. They need the schools without military presence in their grounds. The NGO s see a humanitarian crisis. There are 10%displaced persons; 22,000 are in 75 evacuation centers. The government must provide permanent shelters far from unrests and near supply of food, clean water, clothings, alternative livelihood. Special attention should be given to children. Give them milk, medicine, and psychological- social debriefings.
A very commendable conference is "Peace in the Asia Pacific Region," an international leadership conference. With the theme, "The New War is the war for international cooperation" to get rid of terrorists. This was held in South Korea.
The start of such cooperation for peace must be a person to person relationship of mutual trust. Hate the wrong doings but do not hate the persons doing this. Do not hate people; love them. Have this in mind. Without this frame of mind, nothing will work well. With this admonition, let us hope to find peace in Mindanao. Let Davao be the head start for this goal with the leadership of Mayor Duterte.
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