MILF assures Christians, women of political rights in Bangsamoro

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has assured Christians and women alike that their rights will be upheld in the soon to be created Bangsamoro, a political entity that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). “Ang gobyerno ng Bangsamoro is a democratic government wherein yung karapatan, ‘yung political rights ng mga babae is guaranteed, pati ‘yung political rights ng mga naninirahan sa teritoryo ng Bangsamoro is guaranteed,” Ghazali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, said in a phone interview aired over GMA News TV’s “News To Go” on Monday morning. Seeking to dispel fears of an intolerant theocratic regime, Jaafar said of non-Muslim Bangsamoro constituents: “Malaya silang makakapagtayo ng simbahan where they can worship. Iyan ay karapatan ng ninuman na manalangin sa kanilang Diyos.” The MILF official added that the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which will be drafted by a transition commission and subjected to a plebiscite, will ensure that the political entity will be truly autonomous, with leaders that are elected democratically. On Sunday, President Benigno Aquino III announced that the Philippine government and the MILF have already reached a preliminary framework agreement which could potentially end the decades-old separatist insurgency in Mindanao. The deal seeks to establish a Bangsamoro political entity to replace ARMM, which Aquino called “a failed experiment.” He also said that the MILF has agreed to give up its goal of a separate state.  ‘Manageable’ Sulu Rep. Tupay Loong, chairperson of the House committee on Muslim affairs, meanwhile said that the Philippine government should prioritize reaching a final peace pact with the MILF before dealing with the MILF breakaway group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM), headed by Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato. “If you are going to read about the experience with revolutionary groups, there is really always one group that serves as obstruction. Yes, mayroong kaunti itong damage sa peace relationship, but the situation will eventually become manageable,” Loong said in a separate phone interview. He added that the issue with Kato’s group will become “easier to address” if the government will show that it “means business.” “If the government will fulfill its commitment and show that there are tangible results to this agreement, then they [members of Kato’s group] might even agree in the future to support this deal,” he said. Continue talks Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, who heads the House committee on national defense and security, for his part said that the MILF and the government should help each other handle the “obstacle” to lasting peace being posed by the breakaway group. “Let us not make this issue bar this promise of a peace agreement. Dapat magpatuloy ang pag-uusap ng gobyerno at MILF, and then both should deal with this issue properly at a later time,” he said in a separate phone interview. Biazon, a former military chief of staff, pointed out that the MILF is itself a breakaway group from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). “Tingnan mo, eventually, naintindihan naman nila that the creation of this political entity should undergo legislation and should be decided upon by the people,” he said. The MILF was established in 1976 by members of an MNLF breakaway group, who insisted that the Bangsamoro land should be an independent Islamic state, and that its fighters should not enter into negotiations with the government. "Give peace pact a chance"  Meanwhile, Jaafar is hoping that the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement will support the preliminary peace agreement with the government. He said the BIFM, led by Ustadz Ameril Umra Kato, should give the peace pact a chance. “Itong grupo ni Umra Kato, mainit sila dahil sa matagal na negotiations. Dahil sa matagal na negotiations, ang paniniwala nila wala nang pag-asa pang ma-resolve ang issues sa pamamagitan ng negotiation at pagbuo ng mapayapang solusyon,” Jaafar said. “Ngayong mayroon nang agreement, titingnan nila ito. They are announcing it sa public as a matter of fact. Sinasabi nila sa publiko na kung ito ang solusyon sa problema ng Bangsamoro, tatangkilikin nila ito at sasama sila sa implementation nito,” he added. In a media interview, however, Kato’s group has already expressed opposition to the initial peace pact, insisting on the creation of a separate Bangsamoro state. Still, the BIFM pledged to monitor the new political entity to see that it will indeed finally bring basic social services to poverty-stricken parts of Mindanao. Kato and his group bolted from the MILF last year due to disagreements about the handling of the peace talks. Last August, the renegade group launched attacks on several military camps, killing several soldiers and civilians. — BM/KBK/HS, GMA News