A stake in Mindanao

While the recent preliminary agreement signed between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was hailed as a positive first step towards a lasting peace in Mindanao, exactly what is its significance for those not directly affected by the decades-long conflict in the island, particularly in Luzon and Visayas?

A whole lot significant if we only take the travel advisories issued by foreign governments into consideration. Weren’t those advisories which warn their citizens not to travel to the country because of some kidnapping or attack a constant, ugly reminder to travel agencies that the government isn’t doing enough to keep the peace in the country even if those incidents of violence occur only in Mindanao?

Hence whatever happens in Mindanao also reflects on the rest of the country even if the attacks were perpetrated mostly by the Abu Sayaff bandit group and largely blamed on the MILF who, to their credit, have exhausted efforts to negotiate for peace together with their government counterparts.

Details of the agreement have been disclosed to the public along with a proposed road map for peace in Mindanao and the public response has so far been positive with the exception of some skeptics and a furious Prof. Nur Misuari, chief of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Insisting that the 1996 accord signed with the MNLF shouldn’t be ignored, Misuari has so far played it safe even insisting that he will run for public office in the soon to be proposed Bangsamoro region that will replace the existing Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao.

Based on government and MILF pronouncements, the Bangsamoro region won’t signify separation or secession from the Philippine Republic, a sore bone of contention between the MILF and former president Joseph Estrada, who declared unequivocally his opposition to the MILF’s previous demand of independence with the fighting words: “Over my dead body.”

The climate remained uneasy during the Arroyo administration and so it wasn’t a small surprise to see President Benigno Aquino III, perceived as being a Manila/Luzon-centric leader, conversing with top MILF leaders in a foreign trip which sparked hopes of solid progress in peace negotiations.

The MILF acknowledged that the preliminary agreement was far from ideal but was willing to accept what to them amounted to a compromise that they can live with.

Those in Luzon and Visayas also have a personal stake in seeing to it that this preliminary agreement will result in a lasting peace in Mindanao beyond the travel advisories.

They may even take part in the rebuilding of the local economy there, which would prove beneficial to them and to the Bangsamoro people. Whatever their contributions would be, a peaceful Mindanao would benefit all peace-loving Filipinos.