We are about to start the re-launch of the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front following the state of the nation address of Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III and the positive statements from the MILF.
Despite the seemingly infinite search for peace in Mindanao we welcome this yet another try at working for peace in the region. We are totally in accord with President Aquino that development in any part of the country will never be achieved if the finger is in the trigger and the muzzle of the gun is aimed at the protagonist. We have seen enough of the bloody confrontations. Because ours is a civilized nation and we condemn war as a means to attain peace, government hedges, put on the brakes so to speak and offer the olive branch to work out a peaceful solution.
An all-out-war, which was tried during the Estrada regime, maybe a solution but being a Christian nation that sanguinary option is contemptible. Besides, we have co-existed with our Filipino Muslim brothers for so many decades. Until the un-Islamic fundamentalists and extremists cavorted with the Al Qaeda terrorists the path to peace and reconciliation was not that elusive as it is today.
But hopes springs eternal and we have never been weary hoping and waiting for any and all the peace initiatives to hammer that truce and forever silence the guns of war. Soon the negotiating panels will be facing each other across the negotiating table. They will be submitting another agenda. As far as the government is concerned, there will be no more repeat of the controversial memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain which was declared unconstitutional. This was enunciated by President Aquino in his SONA.
The MILF on the other hand welcomes the resumption of the talks based on the marching orders of the president for the Philippine panel to craft an agreement that should spring from consultation with the people as it is the interest of the people that should matter and not of any personal political agenda.
We await therefore the outcome of the talks from this fresh initiative. The motivations are very encouraging. The resumption of the talks will start after the Ramadan. We have waited this long, and Ramadan is not too long a period to wait for the advent of a new hope for peace and stability for Mindanao.