THE Bangsamoro people’s 15-year struggle for peace and order is slowly but surely shifting in the right direction, with Malaysia playing a vital role as facilitator in the historic peace negotiations.
Spurred by the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro by the Philippine government and ruling Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Oct 15, 2012, and the much-anticipated passing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), the residents of Mindanao are nearing the dawn of a new beginning.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had a hand in the process, as Malaysia played host to a series of meetings between the two negotiators.
As peace talks resume and agreements are reached, the Bangsa-moro “can finally seal genuine, lasting peace in Mindanao”, in the words of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.
The Bangsamoro people, who are natives of the Mindanao region, will be politically and economically independent once BBL is passed by Congress. The meeting in Kuala Lumpur, between the government and MILF, focused on the implementation and legislation of BBL and decommissioning of firearms by MILF militants.
Once BBL was passed and negotiations with MILF were concluded, the country would reap the benefits as social, economic and political growth would be experienced by the Bangsamoro, said Philippine government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, who was in town for a three-day meeting on the peace negotiations, starting from Sept 27.
Armed with a sizeable budget from the government and strong diplomatic ties between the government and MILF, Bangsamoro is set to be fully established and developed as an autonomous political entity.
Malaysia contributed to the peace process by facilitating, managing and hosting meetings between the negotiators, which saw significant decisions being made.
Philippine ambassador to Malaysia, J. Eduardo Malaya, who was present during the interview, said the peace process and passing of the law would unlock the region’s economic potential, and long-deserved peace and order would be restored.
The following are excerpts from the interview.
On what BBL means to the Bangsamoro people
“When BBL is passed and implemented, hopefully by June 2016, the Bangsamoro will enjoy more political freedom and economic development. It will entitle them to Muslim self-rule in exchange for a deactivation of rebel forces by MILF.
“Under this law, the region will be led by a new form of government that differs from the current structured one. They (the people) will be better represented, with the involvement of previously unrepresented groups, like settlers and women. BBL is special because it will give the Bangsamoro a reality to what is provided for in the Constitution, aside from being able to generate economic development, and peace and order.
“BBL will also provide the Bangsamoro with a new budget for them to take off in their new-look economy. In a span of six years, RM4.1 billion (PHP17 billion) will be given by the government as transitional support. The automatic budget is mainly for development and a big amount will be utilised in the reorganisation of their bureaucracy.
“Their economic potential will hopefully flourish and benefit the country as a whole because whatever is good for the Bangsamoro, is good for all of the Philippines.”
On what the decommissioning of firearms by MILF militants entails
“The decommissioning of firearms by MILF militants, which is another key area of discussion in the peace process, means that MILF will turn in their weapons.
“MILF will submit an inventory of firearms to the International Decommissioning Body (IDB), comprising three experts from Norway, Turkey and Brunei, and four Filipinos. IDB will validate the inventory, and monitor and programme the manner of decommissioning until a period that will be decided.
“The decommissioning process, like the peace process, will be done in phases, as it involves the passage of BBL and authority transition of the current police force and Bangsamoro police force.”
On Malaysia’s role as facilitator in the peace process between the Philippine government and MILF
“Malaysia has been helpful in bringing the two parties together in understanding. Malaysia has also managed discussions and hosted numerous meetings.
“As facilitator, Malaysia did not dictate the agenda of the meetings, which were fully dependant on the two negotiators, but we are grateful that the Malaysian government has given this agenda high-level involvement by putting it under the office of the prime minister himself. This ensures that political and diplomatic resources are at our disposal.
“The shared agenda of both Malaysia and the Philippines to achieve peace and security in the region has played a role in establishing Malaysia as facilitator throughout the process.”
On challenges encountered during the peace negotiations
“Both sides were committed to finding a solution. As government representatives, we had to gain their trust and the trust of the public through the process. Even though we shared different views — the sharing of power and wealth, for instance — we managed to overcome them together.
“Another challenge was reassuring the public, especially the people of Mindanao. They had to be persuaded that the negotiations would benefit them because they had their own political views on the government and MILF. It went beyond the negotiating table. Public consultation and communication were needed to address their fears and concerns.
“All in all, the fostering of trust between the negotiators and also the affected group was imperative for the peace negotiations to achieve a successful end. It took some time, but we managed to secure that all-important confidence.”
On what actions have been taken by the government and MILF to ensure the passing of BBL
“We (the government) have started numerous administrative preparations and the work plan will continue until the implementation of the law, hopefully in June 2016. We are in the final stages of finalising the law and ensuring that all parties are in harmony with it.
“On MILF’s part, they have taken it upon themselves to neutralise all threats of criminality that would, in any way, hinder the peace process. They also lined up individuals to work in different components of the government because our main aim is to no longer have a ruling army group.”
