THE final iteration of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that is waiting to be passed by Philippine lawmakers is one that satisfies all stakeholders.
There must, therefore, be no reason for its implementation to take a back seat.
Former government of the Philippines Implementing Peace Panel Chair Irene Santiago, who saw through the finalisation of the proposed law, said every single signee who marked his stamp of approval on the document that would pave the way for lasting peace in the country’s south did so without reservations, as it was inclusive.
The proposed legislation, she said, was the best tool against extremism that had begun to set foot in the region.
She said the extremist groups, bent on pursuing their agenda, had and would continue to fan any lingering dissatisfaction among the locals in Mindanao.
“The best way to counter this is to pass the BBL and give the Bangsamoro their government and their right to self-govern,” she told the New Sunday Times in an interview at her office here recently.
Irene shared the prospects of a peaceful and stable Mindanao, as well as Malaysia’s role in all this.
On the trust between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
Irene: So far, we have been able to show that MILF, as a liberation front, is a legitimate organisation and that it has legitimate demands that need to be met because the peace agreement had been signed. It had come forth that it is not a terror group.
On those bent on derailing the BBL
Irene: Yes there will be those people... They will always be there. The road to peace is never a smooth one. But we have laid a strong foundation. Public opinion reflects support for the peace process. That is important. It will influence the political process in congress, and public opinion has been more favourable towards the BBL.
The way we are working on this is correcting the historical injustices and making the people understand this. Because, without looking back on history, people won’t understand and will think “Ah! The Muslims want something; let’s not give it to them”. But they have to understand what Mindanao was before, before it got smaller and reduced to what it is now.
If they get the Bangsamoro government, it will be an investment for the country. Nothing will be taken from the rest. Once and for all, cut off our colonial problems that have had a stranglehold on us for so long.
On terrorism and instability in southern Philippines and how the BBL will fight this
Irene: The (Islamic State) caliphate idea is a “seductive” dream. Those who would espouse the Bangsamoro government will have to woo the population with their own dream. It cannot be a technocratic solution to the problem because technology is not “seductive” enough. It has to be a dream about “myself”, “my role” and “my place in the world”. That dream has not been articulated, especially to the young Moros. At the same time, if you are able to pass a law but unable to articulate to the people this dream to which they will identify, it will be empty. The people must feel worthy of belonging to this dream. That will be able to lure them away from violence.
On the lure of a better economic dream
Irene: We are working on our normalisation programme and we are calling it “From Transition to Transformation”. “Transition” because you have to pour in basic services like healthcare, education, water, hygiene. But you can’t stop there.
These people have been deprived for so long. You need “transformation” because the root cause of the problem is injustice and inequality. Transformation is the only way to change the way society is arranged. It is not all about livelihood. We also have to deal with the past as these people have gone through a lot of pain, displacement, marginalisation and discrimination.
On a peaceful Mindanao
Irene: We must look at the eight pillars for lasting peace. Countries which enjoy peace have all these pillars. So, while we look at the normalisation process and the way the Bangsamoro government is going to be in place, we will have to look at the institutions, attitudes and structures that will build them.
These include a well-functioning government, low levels of corruption, appreciation/acceptance of the rights of others, good relations with your neighbours (community or country), sound business environment, high levels of human capital, equitable distribution of resources and free flow of information.
Unless we build those pillars, the law is only a piece of paper. A peaceful society has those pillars and a peaceful society is a resilient one. We are hoping this for the country, not just Bangsamoro.
On fears that if the BBL is delayed, lawless elements would set foot in Mindanao
Irene: I think so. There is a direct correlation. You cannot say anymore that you can contain. The local is affecting the global, and vice versa. A regional perspective and cooperation is the only way to go. The global and local go together, there are no borders anymore. The region is in this together. Engagements are crucial not only on the military front, but also through youth and ideas exchange. We have seen communities wrecked by conflicts, and violence seems to be the default response to it. Where is the end?
On Kuala Lumpur’s and Manila’s strong commitment to attaining regional peace
Irene: We appreciate what Malaysia has done in helping with the peace negotiations all these years, from 2001 to 2014, and continuing to be there as a facilitator at this point when we are already implementing. We also appreciate the International Monitoring Team. The ceasefire mechanism has been instrumental in ensuring there is security in the Bangsamoro areas.
In fact, it has become a model of how a ceasefire mechanism should be created and implemented. We must make sure that the security arrangement runs through into the mainstream mechanism.
The Malaysian facilitator and/or adviser, Datuk Kamaruddin Mustafa, has the kind of wisdom that comes from his years as a diplomat. As a seasoned diplomat, who has had exposure in conflict situations, he was able to share a lot with us.
On Bangsamoro tapping into Malaysia’s experience
Irene: What I see and hear from the groups we are dealing with under the normalisation programme and the socio-economic development is that they are looking to Malaysia for the kind of development it has undergone as a Muslim nation. There is, for instance, a lot of interest in the syariah-based micro-financing, as well as the way Malaysia developed socio-economically; how it saw the growth of the manufacturing sector and moved with technological advancements as the driver for growth. It is a story of how a Muslim country can progress in that direction. Malaysia and Indonesia are good examples (for the Bangsamoro to follow).
What now
Irene: We should have the BBL by the first week of next year, at the latest in 120 days. After that is the ratification, which will happen in the middle of next year. The Bangsamoro Transition Authority will be in place, hopefully by the middle of 2018. The mid-term elections are scheduled for 2019, but I am proposing that no election is held for the Bangsamoro in 2019 because that will be too soon. The Bangsamoro Transition Authority must be able to govern until 2022. By then they will have shown that they can govern and by 2022, they will put themselves up for elections.
They will be given a chance, whereas if they go to the polls in 2019, the “political dynasties” will win. Then, what would all these be about? “Elections equal democracy” is not always true.
That is the determining factor and many believe this is a solid plan that had been thought through.
A peace negotiation is about ending wars and building peace. President Rodrigo Duterte had said he was upbeat about the prospects of the BBL.