COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Government soldiers and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerillas have been guarding the cross-section peace consultations in Central Mindanao like a tightly knit-family, dining together, sharing each other’s combat experiences and talking about how they want their children to live normal lives and become productive citizens.
The latest of these emotion-filled military-rebel interfaces, which local officials call a sort of “healing process” for soldiers and MILF fighters, took place in Maguindanao’s Shariff Aguak town Tuesday, where thousands gathered for a dialogue on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB).
The FAB, signed by the government and the MILF last on October 15, sets the parameters for the creation of a Bangsamoro political entity to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Among those who witnessed how heavily-armed Army combatants and MILF guerillas in neat combat uniforms, gathered in Shariff Aguak was Maguindanao Second District Rep. Simeon Datumanong.
As a representative of Malacañang, Datumanong helped in crafting the Tripoli agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Libya on Nov. 23, 1976.
The Tripoli Agreement was to become a major reference, along with the Constitution, in the crafting of the Sept. 2, 1996 final peace accord between the government and the MNLF.
Even radiomen Sam Sali and Mike Suan, of Catholic station dxMS and the Radio Mindanao Network’s dxMY, both in Cotabato City, were fascinated with how MILF guerillas and soldiers from different Army units interacted with each other as they guarded the venue of the forum from saboteurs.
With their scary, deadly experiences covering past MILF-military hostilities in Central Mindanao, Sali and Suan never thought “enemy” military men and Moro guerillas would agree to cooperate on peace missions like a happy family.
Sali belongs to the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation, which has five “peace” radio stations in Mindanao that are helping educate the public on the importance of peaceful resolution of conflicts and interfaith dialogues in furthering economic and political stability in Muslim and Christian communities.
Datumanong to retire with a 'happy heart'
An emotional Datumanong, who has been serving Maguindanao in different capacities as a public official since 1974, said he never thought that he would see government and Moro forces converge together and participate in peace dialogues meant to push the Mindanao peace process forward.
Datumanong, now in his third and last term, said he will retire next year from politics with a “happy heart.” He said he is contented with how the Moro communities he has been serving for almost five decades now, the government, and the MILF have been cooperating to foster lasting peace in Maguindanao.
Meetings in the early ‘70s between representatives of the government and Nur Misuari’s MNLF were often held clandestinely, where both sides discussed security issues in hostile surroundings, with speakers, in some occasions, delivering fiery, provocative messages as they haggled for peace in terms of strength.
The dialogue on the FAB in Shariff Aguak town, organized by Mayor Zahara Upam-Ampatuan, the Maguindanao provincial police, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, the 1st Mechanized Brigade, and the MILF, was capped with a “kanduli,” or a traditional Moro thanksgiving banquet tendered by the local government unit for some 20,000 participants.
Combatants of the Army’s elite Ranger and Special Forces units, regular infantry men and members of the mechanized forces in the second district of Maguindanao even helped distribute food and bottled water to MILF members and supporters present in the meeting.
A Moro fighter named Badruddin Kalim, 35, who saw action in the 2001, 2003 and 2008 bloody conflicts in Central Mindanao, said he was touched seeing soldiers mingle with them in recent FAB dialogues in different areas in Maguindanao.
“This is an apparent initial result of the peace negotiations,” another guerilla, Samaon Sakib, said in Filipino, referring to the involvement of the military and MILF forces in continuing FAB forums in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and in provinces inside the ARMM.
Peace and order
Col. Edgar Gonzales, commanding officer of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade based in the second district of Maguindanao, said is looking forward to a stronger, more cohesive cooperation between the AFP, the Philippine National Police, and the MILF in maintaining law and order in remote areas.
Gonzales said they will continue to resolve peace and security concerns through multi-sectoral dialogues in areas covered by the 1997 Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities between the government and the MILF.
Gonzales said there is fragile peace now in areas under his brigade, ushered in by the heightened cordiality and security cooperation among local government units, traditional leaders, the local religious communities, as they forge ahead with the conduct of more FAB dialogues to hasten public understanding of its contents.
The MILF’s chief political officer, Ghadzali Jaafar, who attended the FAB consultation and thanksgiving event in Shariff Aguak, said credit has to be given to members of the joint ceasefire committee for ensuring the peaceful movements of government and guerilla forces involved in the talks.
Jaafar, who addressed thousands of participants in the gathering, reiterated the MILF’s commitment to a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the decades-old Moro quest for self-governance under the international doctrine on right to self determination, which is now an accepted parameter for addressing conflicts between state and non-state protagonists.