A step closer to peace

In March this year, I was a proud witness to the historic signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The signing represents the conclusion of a long process of negotiation, which has required the commitment and drive of both the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

This month again saw a watershed moment in the peace process, the submission of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to Congress on 10 September. Let me offer my congratulations to all parties involved in this accomplishment. As the Philippines celebrates ‘Peace Month’ and the International Day of Peace today, this development becomes even more significant.

We all acknowledge that conflicts are immensely damaging to economies, and can leave long-lasting scars on society. So the benefits of peace are obvious. As President Aquino recently said in Davao at the launch of the Mindanao Inclusive Agribusiness Program,peace provides hope, and through peace we can forge a more prosperous and inclusive region. We have the opportunity to move from poverty and underdevelopment towards opportunity and prosperity.

But Australia’s experience is different from that of the Philippines: there has been very little conflict on our shores. So why is Australia engaged in supporting the peace process here?

First, Australia is a close friend and neighbour of the Philippines. We try to be a good neighbour and to assist in difficult times. This has been the case after natural disasters, and it is also the case in our support of the peace process. Second, an absence of governance in conflict areas can foster insecurity, providing havens for terrorist groups presenting threats to national and regional security, including Australia. Third, although the Philippines is a middle income country, we recognise that some parts of the country are worse off than others because of conflict. I’ve seen this myself when I have travelled in Mindanao. Conflict-affected areas have low human development indicators, low education outcomes, high infant and maternal mortality rates, and low access to potable water and sanitation. Poverty rates are high and people are displaced from their homes.

We recognise that peace improves the sustainability of government and foreign investments in development. Australia’s assistance is modest in relation to the challenges being faced. But we work in areas where we can make a difference and where we can complement Philippine Government programs.

Our support has included funding for civil society organisations to help them strengthen local peace building initiatives; to the World Bank and the United Nations to assist parties to finalise the Bangsamoro Basic Law; to the Independent Commission on Policing; and for technical assistance to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. In the area of education, a significant portion of our assistance is directed towards the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao Program, which operates in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Our Foreign Minister, the Hon. Julie Bishop MP, has expressed Australia’s firm and continuing support to the efforts of the Government and MILF in achieving a just and lasting peace. To that end Australia will provide funding of P240 million over three years to support the peace process.

The submission of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to Congress is the latest step along the road map to peace in Mindanao. It is a law that establishes a region which is inclusive for all, for Moro, Lumads and Christians, which provides the region with the opportunity for unity and peace. It’s important to stay the course; even when the road becomes rocky. But it is also important to make sure that once the goal of peace is reached, the outcome is irreversible.

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(Bill Tweddell is the Ambassador of Australia.)