BANGSAMORO: a sigh of
relief but no real reason to be euphoric
The goal of the movement must have been lost in the mist of
time, because after reading the framework, some call it a roadmap to peace. I
realize that this is a win for the government and little for the movement, but on the whole, it is a win-win for all. We have finally brought sensible people to
negotiate in the real world, not bargain in the realms of dreams.
I am afraid, though, that when the euphoria has finally settled down, those who fought so long and hard may find themselves sidelined by the same political system they fought so hard to reform, if not replace completely. However, there is really no alternative. This is the best they can squeeze
from the government, which has likewise given away as much as it can. There is no Utopian alternative to what the two sides have agreed to ink with their names
for posterity.
Those who fought long and hard will have to become astute politicians
to survive in a parliament where members are elected and whose majority block
then chooses a ‘prime minister’ and a figurehead ‘president’ as the case may be. The “Brotherhood” (Al Ikhwanun) of Egypt won a majority in parliament
because, despite Hosni Mubarak, they remained a political force to reckon with, so that when Mubarak and his men fell, they were the ones that remained standing in the middle of the storm that swept Egypt’s political landscape.
MILF’s inexperience in the real world of politics is a plus
for the MNLF, whose experience in the field far outweighs the MILF (my opinion).
Unless the MILF and the MNLF join political forces, they will be overwhelmed by the same political “trapos” that, in the end, with their money and well-grounded political roots and tentacles, will dominate in the parliament.
With charter change still a burning issue in Congress, the BANGSAMORO federalized system of government will prove to be an experiment that will determine the future of the Philippines’ upcoming CHA-CHA. If it works
well, people may vote in a plebiscite for charter change that will make P-Noy
the last president under the current system.
NLK
My dear Nosca, Your expressed thoughts once more reconfirms the oneness of our class as one of the same breed. Just to add to your ideas, from the crafting of the autonomous region charter to its form today in the organic act, everything looks like an "experiment" in many ways. A step to federalism will definitely be another huge experiment which only God knows its outcome for the Muslims. What happens in the ground is only a product of the degree of the sincerity and interests of the political honchos in Imperial Manila. However, those who represent the Muslims in the various 'dialogues' are rightly treading the path to be heard: whether it spells out success or failure. It is important that each one does his/her share of the responsibility that we will all be accountable for both in history and to our people without underscoring the Hereafter. I am watching and reading your blog. Kudos, Dr. Nonnie.
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