Is the elusive peace in Mindanao finally a reality? It would seem so. The government and the MILF have agreed to a roadmap or blueprint, if you will, towards a lasting peace with the Muslim rebel group in talks hosted by Malaysia. Both parties have agreed in principle to a peace agreement that should pave the way towards a more lasting and hopefully permanent peace in Mindanao. What the MOA-AD could not achieve, this agreement did. What the Arroyo administration could not push through, the Aquino administration succeeded in doing so.
But before we start celebrating, we have to understand that it is still a long way from achieving that, as echoed by many analysts and so-called experts alike, not to mention the pessimists and naysayers. What is good with the agreement is that a separate state is no longer on the table, but the creation of an autonomous political party known as Bangsamoro in Mindanao, replacing the ARMM which many see as a total failure. But before anything else, what is paramount is the upholding of a true ceasefire, and cessation of whatever hostilities that still abound. There should not be a repeat of the incident where Marines supposedly entered an MILF-controlled area, where they were subsequently ambushed. If I’m not mistaken, 10 Marines were beheaded in that encounter, which was later discovered to be the handiwork of the criminal Aby Sayyaf Group, albeit with the blessing of the MILF! An incident like that happening now would totally undermine whatever gains made in Kuala Lumpur. The MILF has to go after whatever remnants of the Abu Sayyaf are left, and deal with the breakaway group of Umbra Kato, lest it grow into another armed group sowing terror in the region!
The world has lauded the current peace agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF, calling it a breakthrough after years of conflict that has claimed more than one hundred thousand lives. It is up to both panels to weed out the sticky issues, the sensitive matters and points of conflict, in order to achieve that peace before 2016. A new administration may complicate matters, if the roadmap has not been followed by then. Who knows what a new president would do to the agreement!
Mindanao has always been seen as fertile land in terms of investment and business opportunities, but the threat and fear of armed conflict has always been a bane to the island. Why invest in an area where you can literally lose your head! But the possibilities are indeed endless. Its perennial problems like power and irrigation may be finally addressed, and the potential economy of the region finally realized.
So is peace finally upon Mindanao?
Let’s hope so.