Sunday,Apr 26 2009, 05:47:30 AMBUC tasked to destroy Bangsamoro aspirations

BUC tasked to destroy Bangsamoro aspirations

By: Dr. Ali Panda

Marawi City, Philippines- Concerned Bangsamoro, mostly Meranaos, made a peace rally this morning April 24 against the Bishop Ulama Conference (BUC) Focus Group discussion (FGDs) or Kunsult Mindanao. In Marawi City, a peace rally by concerned Bangsamoro, mostly Meranaos from the different municipalities in Lanao del Sur, against the BUC FGDs across Mindanao. Their streamers show that Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain initialed by the panels between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines is exacting the solution of the Mindanao problems and the BUC is a Malacanang creation to destroy Islam and the Bangsamoro aspiration for self-determination. Datu Omar Sarip Pangandaman, auditor of the Tarompong sa Ranao Radio Forum (TRRF) reiterated: “the FGDs is a Malacanang project being undertaken by the BUC which is being perceived to divert people’s attention into a make believe peace. It induces the international community into believing that the government is committed to solve the Mindanao issues, thus, bars the United Nation in intervening with the Bangsamoro problem, despite the presence of armed conflicts between the GRP-MILF forces resulting into humanitarian crisis and human rights violation – displacing nearly a million innocent civilians and the death of thousands people mostly women and children.” The used religious leaders is ultimately aim of shattering the religious norms and morality of the Bangsamoro and means of denial on the part of the government for the Moros’ right to self-determination, Pangandaman added. One of the senior faculty of the Mindanao State University, who requested on condition of anonymity, said: “one thing clear is that this BUC consultation may destroy the achievement of the MILF-GRP peace talks.” Another senior professor, who also requested not to be identified, revealed: “the BUC FGDs is a government strategy to confuse the public about Bangsamoro issue and wanted to make it appear that Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) is not reflective of Mindanao peace aspirations.” The FGDs has been conducted in eight regional groupings – Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, Caraga, Central Mindanao, Socsargen, Northeast Mindanao, Lanao del Norte and Outside Mindanao. An estimated 6,000 participants are expected to participate in the FGDs, according to Konsult Mindanaw! project team leader, Fr. Albert Alejo. The BUC last year responded to President Arroyo’s invitation for the conduct of “community dialogues and consultation” following the botched MOA-AD. An 18-person Design Committee on Community Dialogue comprising an inter-faith representation from Mindanao’s academic community, the Ulama League of the Philippines and representatives from the Lumad (Indigenous Peoples) crafted the research BUC co-convenor Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla announced that the Asia Foundation and Australian Aid for International Development (AusAID), have “signified immediate support” for the research project.. Muhaguer Iqbal replied in an SMS to MindaNews on February 6 that “BUC already received funds from the government before.” This project involves more than 300 FGDs in various parts of Mindanao and Southern Palawan in April and May this year. Iqbal said “we are not opposed” but maintained that consultations “must not take the place of negotiation because such is actually an exercise of right to self determination by the Moros through the leadership of the MILF. Whatever is the result of this negotiation is essentially the expression of the wishes of our people,” he said. “If the groups undertaking consultation are getting direct or indirect aid from the government, then both the process and result are suspect,” he said. According to the Konsult Mindanao primer, posted in Mindanao Current on April 4, 2009, copies of which were released at the BUC Assembly, the school-based researches “expressed apprehension about the project” when first consulted by the BUC. “First, if the consultation is too much identified with Malacanang, then some sectors and communities might not welcome it. Secondly, if the consultation is limited to checking the reactions of the people in the MOA-AD, then those who are predisposed to oppose the MOA-AD might not cooperate. And thirdly, if the consultation is dominated by Christians, then it might generate suspicion of biases,” the primer said. It also noted that the apprehensions expressed “almost coincided with the very timely press release of the MILF” on November 12, 2008 where it warned both Muslim and Christian clerics against being partisan. In a statement, Khaled Musa, MILF committee on information deputy chair, said consultations will not be credible “if they will be using government money or other resources, or receive instructions from the government.” He said the MILF questioned the government’s decision in using religious personalities in conflict resolution, saying the armed conflict in Mindanao is not about the clash of religions but clearly the offshoot of “greed, hatred and mistrust” for the Bangsamoro people. Iqbal, however, added, “anyway, we will not prejudge them. Their output will speak for their work.”

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