Over a decade had elapsed from the time the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government agreed to negotiate for peace. That initiative was initiated and pushed by Libyan strongman Moamar Khadaffy, an influential figure in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
We surmise that there were unwritten reasons why government has to seek the intervention of OIC and Khadaffy in particular. The general perception in the intelligence community then was that separatist groups, including the MILF, were receiving financial aids from some member countries of the OIC, which in turn were used to purchase arms. The Libyan leader for one is a strong advocate and respecter of sovereignty of nations and he has therefore issued counsel to Philippine separatist groups to negotiate for peace and other secessionist issues within the context of the Philippine constitution and not to trifle with Philippine sovereignty. This was the framework adopted by the OIC which had led to the peace negotiations between the MILF and the government.
The frequent changes in the membership of the negotiating panels, particularly that of the government, must not forget or disregard this direction for this is the guidepost as well as the parameters set forth by the OIC.
Given this track with which to follow to reach a peace agreement, we find it therefore untenable that the talks would drag this long and fraught with unresolved contentious issues. A ceasefire agreement was signed but it appears that instead of building blocks for reconciliation this lull was used to restock the armaments.
The MILF has warned that the next generation of leaders after them would be more radical. On the contrary, we believe that the next generation of Filipinos – Muslims, Christians and Lumads – will be angry at the present crop of leaders for wasting time in reaching an agreement and squandering their opportunity to live a productive life by engaging in unending conflict which had caused so much sufferings and destructions.
The upcoming generation is starting to realize, assuming they have not yet, that fiefdoms and territories have become small and inadequate no amount of ‘ridos’ can solve land disputes and who the rulers will be. The young generation cannot afford to be strapped into the irrelevant belief that fiefdom will insure their future. They want to be liberated from this impertinence. They want an atmosphere of peace and stability so that they can pursue a quest for higher education and learning as the next conflict, their conflict, will be who’s best equipped to be employed or run an enterprise.