The Zamboanga Standoff (The Sabah look-alike version)

MG520 on Aerial survey over Zamboanga City

Photo by Richel V. Umel

By MR. BOBBY BENITO

Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, Inc. (CBCS)

09266421280

bc.justpeace@gmail.com

COTABATO CITY (September 14, 2013) - What happened (is happening) in Zamboanga city is similar to what happened in Sabah months ago. The Zamboanga siege could not have happened had the venue for peaceful talks was used. The Tripartite Review is the peaceful venue for the MNLF and the GPH to “justly and rightly” conclude the 1996 FPA.

This could have prevented the Zamboanga incidence that had claimed several lives including those of the innocent civilians and destructions of properties.

The Sabah crises had taken its tolls to the civilians who had been untimely sent back home leaving their “better” lives in Sabah. I hope the Zamboanga crises will not deepen prejudices and discrimination between the Christians and Muslims in the city. The downside of violence and wars had always been, deaths, displacement, destruction, deepening of prejudices and refreshing wounds of discrimination and hatred.

What could have prompted the MNLF to take the violent action. 

Sniper's firing. Photo by Richel Umel

  

The MNLF-Nur wing had been reported to have declared independence for Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. Nothing is wrong with that for as long as it does not violate the existing Philippine Constitution. They have raised flags. Nothing wrong with that if they are hanged in their houses or along the highways. It will be wrong if they are hanged in public places, like plaza, government offices and schools. Mayor Duterte welcomes the raising of the MNLF flag in Davao City, (where the headquarters of the Bangsamoro Republic is located) for as long as it is not higher than the flags of the Philippines.

The MNLF was allegedly asking for permit to raise the flag of the Bangsamoro Republic at the city hall of Zamboanga but was not allowed? Was this the triggering reason? Earlier, an information circulated that the GPH (used to be GRP during the MNLF-GRP peace talks) had unilaterally ended the MNLF-GPH-OIC tripartite review of the 1976 Final Peace Agreement. Was this true? Or a simple dis-information?

The press release circulated by the OPPAP denies this allegation by the MNLF. Who is telling the truth? Granting that they are true (abrogation), would that be enough for the MNLF to initiate the siege? Had they gotten the blessings of the OIC as a partner in the review?

Is it the feeling of having been betrayed by the GRP or the feeling of having been marginalized in the on-going peace process by the MILF and the GPH that triggered the MNLF-Nur  to do Sabah look-alike  siege in Zamboanga City? Whatever the reasons, only the MNLF would know.

What should be done?

The right thing to do is for the GPH and MNLF to “justly and rightly” conclude the peace talks (review). The GPH and the MNLF processes should be communicated to the ground to avoid speculations like what happened recently. The MNLF-GPH process should also be “inclusive” so that the stakeholders including the communities are aware and are involved. Both the MNLF and the government shall come up with joint-statement to allow the people to understand better the status of the review.

The political irritation will always be there so long as the process is “hanged”. Unless mutually concluded the irritation will always remain. The feeling can be very dangerous. Like in a marriage, it is either you settle the conflict between the spouses by reconciliation or divorce. To drag them without final conclusion can only result to the unexpected.

The civil society is willing to engage the MNLF and the GPH but they (CSOs) know nothing about the status of the review. Nothing official (written) document is available except verbatim which are vulnerable to misinterpretation.

Like the issue of the Sabah claim where no final conclusion/resolution is made, the relationship of the Sultanate of Sulu and Malaysian authorities will always be in a “hanging mode”. Conflict can always be expected. Similarly, the MNLF and the GRPcan always be suspicious to each other until a “just and right” conclusion is made. For the MNLF and the GPH, it is much better “to talk to each other and not to talk about each other”. 

Meantime, justice for the victims of the siege shall be worked out. This will be a bad precedence if it continues to happen without due justice. The civilians can not be a convenient “collateral damage”.

On the humanitarian side, the siege should stop. The authorities and the MNLF shall spare the civilians. Let us help the displaced communities in Zamboanga to meet their immediate needs.

All Photos by Richel V. Umel