What can bring peace in Mindanao?

MANILA, Philippines - The gale that brings the overwhelming cries of Muslims, Christians and the indigenous peoples to end the unending clashes between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government forces have finally reached the ears of the protagonists, they have finally agreed to resume peace talks.

This off-again and on-again negotiation has been telling on the displaced communities in central and western Mindanao. They have suffered through all these years of discords that seems to have no end at all. If there is cessation like what prevails today, there is no guarantee that the next day it will not erupt anew.

And now peace negotiations will resume again. Despite the fact that the displaced families have suffered and are wearied by the iniquities of the protracted conflicts they hope that the flicker of the dying peace be revived and sustained.

We believe that if this ember be snuffed there is no telling what these suffering people will do. The negotiators must face the reality that these farming communities neither seek independence nor autonomy. What they demand is the atmosphere of peace to prevail so that they can go back to their homes and their lands and live a normal life.  All other agenda are irrelevant to them.           

Nevertheless, we are in full accord that the problems of the Moro people should be addressed. In truth and in fact, their problems are no different from those of the Christians and Lumads. The problem here is the gross neglect of Mindanao by the centrist government. But this is aggravated by the senseless war. Peace talks will only come to fore if the negotiators will place atop their agenda how they will address the plight of the people in Mindanao. Rather than grueling over territories, we want to hear how these territories be developed and how the people will be extricated from the quagmire of poverty and indifference of the central government.

Furthermore, let the negotiators agree on disarmament. Disarm the Fronts, totally pull out the military, dismantle the CAFGUs and the CVOs, disarm the powerful clans and private armies for these are the forces that triggers the clashes in Mindanao. Leave the police to look after the peace and order condition in Mindanao.

Then there will be meaningful and lasting peace in Mindanao.