Posted on Wednesday, 12 December, 2012 -
14:23
http://opapp.gov.ph/milf/news/opening-statement-gph-chief-negotiator-miriam-coronel-ferrer-34th-gph-milf-formal-explorat
Asalamu
malaikum.
 |
|
GPH Chief Negotiator
Miriam Coronel-Ferrer
|
I do this now in a
different capacity from the past times that we have come to Kuala Lumpur.
Today, I come as the
new chair of the Government Panel for Talks with the MILF - so designated to
this position of responsibility by the President of the Republic of the
Philippines Benigno Aquino III.
May I therefore
submit at the onset my credentials to the Malaysian government, through our
beloved Third-party Facilitator, Tengku Datu Abdul Ghafar bin Tengku Mohamed. And of course,
through the Facilitator, the certified copy of the appointment paper for ourmost patient and most gracious negotiating partner, Brother Mohager Iqbal
and his delegation.
And before anything
else, allow me, in behalf of our delegation, to also extend our belated
birthday greetings to Tengku Gaafar who celebrated his 64th birthday yesterday.
To our dearest
Tengku, may you grow, glow, and go with more wisdom and serenity in the years
to come.
We are also bringing
with us a special gift. We were not aware what this gift was all about. Our
office was just asked to pick up a package at the Palace with the instruction
to bring it to Kuala Lumpur during this round.
It is a gift for Mrs.
Murad from no other than the President’s sister, Kris Aquino. May we request
Brother Iqbal to deliver, in behalf of Ms. Aquino, to the family of MILF chair,
Ebrahim “Kagi” Murad, this framed and autographed photo of Ms. Aquino with an
entourage of MILF women. Ms. Aquino had thoughtfully remembered her
charming encounter with the MILF ladies at the signing of the Framework
Agreement in Malacanang last October 15.
We have also added
other photos as souvenir for chairman Murad.
To the hardworking
members of the Malaysian secretariat under Madame Che Kasna, and to the
illustrious members of the International Contact Group who have kept the faith
with us every step of the way: our traveling companions from the governments of
UK, Japan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia; from the INGOs, CR, The Asia Foundation,
CHD and Muhammadiyah:
It is a pleasure to
once again see you and be with you in the next days. We bear no gifts for you
other than the gift of companionship. (But if you want signed photographs with
our President, Kris Aquino, or the former chair now associate justice Marvic
Leonen, I'm sure it can be arranged.)
We have returned here
in Kuala Lumpur with high hopes. After the fateful 32nd Exploratory Talks last
October 1-7 when we completed the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro,
and the 33rd round where we auspiciously convened for the first time our
Technical Working Group on Normalization, we have come back to Kuala Lumpur
with fortitude to resume our work.
We have returned
confident of the wide public support back home for a process that has concluded
one phase and began another.
We are here with a
fortified team. Joining our panel members on the table here, in addition to
former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani, Undersecretary/Presidential Adviser
for Muslim Concerns Bai Yasmin Busran Lao,and MSU Professor Dr Hamid Barra. We
have asked the Chair of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, lawyer and
professor of Islamic jurisprudence at the University of the Philippines, and
former commissioner of the Commission on Elections, Secretary Mehol Sadain, to
join the panel while the appointment papers for the 5th Panel member are being
processed in Malacanang.
We are back with a
team that has worked tirelessly with the different agencies the last three
weeks.Team GPH includes our observers sitting here today, our Senior Police
Adviser Police Chief Superintendent Noel de los Reyes, and GPH’s chair of the
CCCH, Brig. Gen. Jose Gilberto Roa. Tomorrow we will be joined by no less
than Lt. General Emmanuel Bautista, commanding general of the Philippine
Army and Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia, H.E Eduardo Malaya.
The wide range of
government offices involved in our meetings here and in the Philippines
indicates the high level of support the peace process with the MILF enjoys in
the whole government under PNOY’s leadership.
It reflects the firm
determination of the bureaucracy, through the crucial coordinative and
kulit-ative role of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita
Quintos Deles, to finish the work. That is, to finish it well, with eyes wide
open to the difficulties that then and now have confounded the negotiations,
and with arms ready to embrace innovative solutions and practical approaches.
The Government’s
Technical Working Group on Power-sharing is ready to complete with their MILF
counterparts the text that will make up the Annex on Power-sharing.
Upi Mayor Ramon
Piang, and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs
Undersecretary Chito Gascon and OPAPP Undersecretary Joe Lorena shall be
navigating once more with their counterparts the three lists of allocation of
powers.
They
will do this knowing that:
-
the categories are not airtight nor strictly defined; and
- that all aspects of exercise of power are ideally practiced under the governing principles of cooperation, parity of esteem, autonomy and subsidiarity, check-and-balance, the need to harmonize and to meet norms and standards, and ultimately the shared goal of ensuring the safety, welfare and the needs of the parts and the whole, especially in the face of natural disasters and dangers to national survival due to unusual weather disturbances brought about by climate change and the wanton exploitation of God’s or Allah’s gifts to humankind.
- that all aspects of exercise of power are ideally practiced under the governing principles of cooperation, parity of esteem, autonomy and subsidiarity, check-and-balance, the need to harmonize and to meet norms and standards, and ultimately the shared goal of ensuring the safety, welfare and the needs of the parts and the whole, especially in the face of natural disasters and dangers to national survival due to unusual weather disturbances brought about by climate change and the wanton exploitation of God’s or Allah’s gifts to humankind.
In previous meetings,
the Government’s Technical Working Group on Wealth-sharing had shared with
their MILF counterparts all the relevant data that reflect the challenges to the
reconstruction and financial sustainability of the future Bangsamoro.
This week, NEDA
Region 12 Director Lourdes “Babes” Lim, the Department of Finance’s Bureau of
Tax Director, Trinidad “Ning” Rodriguez and Assistant Secretary of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Anselmo Abungan are ready to
continue collaboration on drafting a working text that will lay down the
parameters for short to long-term economic sustainability of the future
Bangsamoro.
Given the development
needs and fiscal realities in the region, achieving a good measure of economic
viability and fiscal autonomy for the long haul cannot but happen in a gradual
and phased manner. The Government is ready to give all the support necessary to
jumpstart the process.
Our able and most
studious Technical Working Group on Normalization look forward to once again
shake the hands of their counterparts. Led by the Deputy Director General
of the National Security Council, Zenonida “Zen” Brosas, the other the members
of the government’s Technical Working Group on Normalization for this round
are: Colonel Francisco Ariel Felisidario, representing Senior Military
Adviser of the GPH General Crescencio Ferrer; and alternate members from the
OPAPP, Undersecretary Luisito Montalbo and incoming Assistant SecretaryJennifer
“Apple” Oreta.
Decommissioning of
combatants and weapons we understand very well is normally what any armed
revolutionary group fears to tread.
There is fear of
being left defenseless in a landscape populated by so many other armed groups
and individuals.
There is uncertainty
of combatants and their families of what future awaits them under a new phase
where different skills, trainings and orientation would be needed; where
protection shall be weaned away from reliance on the barrel of the gun toward
faith in what the power of communal efforts, nonviolence and resiliency can
achieve for individuals, families, communities and the Bangsamoro at large.
There is insecurity
that the reforms anticipated would be stalled; that the political commitments
fall behind the road map that both parties have plotted; that even good
intentions would be waylaid by insidious agents of the unacceptable status quo.
It
took a mature social movement like the MILF:
- To learn from experiences around the world that ultimately, the choice of peace would mean putting beyond use the need for arms and the use of political violence to achieve political ends.
- To strategically envision the transformation of an armed movement into a socio-political force able to mobilize communities for social and economic development.
- To have the courage to take the risk to navigate previously abhorred, unchartered terrain such as the legislature, governance and election. To be able to stand up, act, implement and compete fair and square over ideas, programs under the precept: may the best man, woman or party win.
- To learn from experiences around the world that ultimately, the choice of peace would mean putting beyond use the need for arms and the use of political violence to achieve political ends.
- To strategically envision the transformation of an armed movement into a socio-political force able to mobilize communities for social and economic development.
- To have the courage to take the risk to navigate previously abhorred, unchartered terrain such as the legislature, governance and election. To be able to stand up, act, implement and compete fair and square over ideas, programs under the precept: may the best man, woman or party win.
This courage and
maturity, government will meet with reciprocity. Our processes may be bogged
down sometimes by the bureaucratic maze that involves any paper work or the
system of check-and-balance that are imposed on us and with due diligence, that
we also impose on ourselves.
But we should not be
discouraged by seeming insurmountables.
Among Tausugs, there
is a saying: “In maksud mahunit, makawa landu in halga.” As translated by
Usec Joe Lorena, “Ang bagay na kinuha ng mahirap, marami ang makikinabang.” In
English, from something achieved the hard way, many will benefit.
Let us not lose
heart, forgetting the forest, as we walk through the trees.
In the same spirit of
reciprocity, we anticipate the difficulties that the MILF will have to face
similar to other vibrant organizations that went through a paradigm shift
before.
There will be
recalcitrants inside: mga pasaway sa organizational command at disiplina ng mga
pinuno ng MILF. There will be malcontents to the gradual and evolutionary
approach that we have taken.
Outside, there will
be one too many agitator, those who will invoke religion, ethnicity,
nationality, constitutionality and so on, NOT in the sincere desire to
contribute to peaceful, progressive and inclusive reform, but to provoke
violent dissent or to advance personal interests.
All these humps and
bumps, roadblocks, diversions, pitfalls we will be able to overcome if we
remain honest and committed to the partnership, a partnership that is not only
between the Government and the MILF, but for our peoples. May our trust and
friendship grow, glow, go forth and multiply by three dozens, from today
12-12-12, Insha’llah.
Related
News
- Ferrer takes oath as new GPH panel chair
- Statement of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Sec. Teresita Quintos Deles on the appointment of Professor Miriam Coronel Ferrer as GPH Panel Chair
- Deles welcomes Leonen's SC appointment, assures public no negative effect on the peace process
- Leonen confident comprehensive peace agreement with MILF to be completed by December
- Goodwill between gov’t, MILF post-signing helps push forward work on annexes
- Technical working groups on wealth, power sharing and normalization take center stage in KL peace talks
No comments:
Post a Comment