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September
20, 1998 Speech Of
Prof. Nur Misuari During The Maguindanao Mayor's
League Dialogue
The distinguished governor of Maguindanao province,
Datu Zacaria Candao, my brother Datu
Muslimin Sema, city mayor of Cotabato and the
Secretary General of the MNLF Central Committee, my
brother Datu Michael Sinsuat,
president of the Mayors League of Maguindanao
province, the distinguished former governor Datu
Sanggacala Baraguir, my brother Ustadz Abu Halil Yahya,
the religious
leader of the people of Mindanao, my brothers and
provincial officials, municipal mayors and other members
of the local government officialdom in Maguindanao
province, members of the ARMM cabinet, Col. Victor Corpuz,
our religious, civic and NGO leaders, the distinguished
datus of Maguindanao, the commanders and freedom fighters
from the Bangsamoro people, both from the MNLF and the
MILF, other guests, members of the media, allow me as
usual to convey to you the greetings of peace,
Assalamu Alaikum Warahamatullahi Taala Wabarakatuhu.
Peace be on you and the blessings of the Almighty Allah.
Well, actually this is our formal meeting with our
leaders from Maguindanao province. In the past, we used to
have some meetings in certain places and during
other occasions. But this one, to me is the first
of its kind with respect to our local government officials
and the ARMM.
I know there has been clamor for this meeting but
while I was able to meet leaders from the other provinces
of ARMM, yet I'm sorry to say that our brothers from the
DILG were not able to organize my meeting with my brothers
here. At any rate, I think, this is now the right time for
us to take account of what happened in the course of our
governance in the ARMM particularly with respect to
Maguindanao province.
But before I proceed, let me just seize at
this juncture,
to convey my abiding sense of gratitude to our
brother, the distinguished governor of Maguindanao
province, brother Datu Zacaria Candao for giving us the
assurances of support, on behalf of our brothers from the
local government of Maguindanao province, the mayors and
so on and so forth for giving us the assurances of
support. We thank you dear brothers for this assurance.
And we would like to assure you also that we in the ARMM
as well as the SPCPD, we have always been trying to find
ways how to be of support to your government and the
government of the other members of our family in the ARMM
not to say of the SPCPD.
But one thing, which is very, very obvious to
everyone is the fact that as part of our assistance to
you, we have been very, very meticulous in not encroaching
or intruding into your responsibilities. I think there
never was a time when we asked people from the DILG,
people from the other branches of the ARMM to poke their
nose, so to speak, into your affairs in the municipalities
as well as of course in the provincial government.
Because I am very steadfast in respecting your
sense of autonomy. And if I did not allow anyone,
including also myself to intrude to your responsibilities,
it's because I have a complete faith in you. And it was
always been my impression since after taking over the
reign of authority in the ARMM and the SPCPD that we in
the ARMM are an addendum to you that we are not here to
cause the designation of your power and your
responsibilities. We are here to add to what is already
there, placed by the law and the government in your hands.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to be a
part of us, because we have to go through certain red
tapes which you will not find if you are directly under
the national government.
But I think, this is only part of the process. We
could overcome this and we must overcome this. So we can
facilitate our activities in our respective areas of
jurisdiction. Of course, we do recognize our duty, that is
to coordinate the activities of the local government to
ensure full maximization of their cooperation. So we can
maximize our service to our people.
But
as you know, we are only 2 years in our governance. There
are still many things we have to learn. And before we took
over the reign of government I think you know very well
that we were at the extreme opposite of the spectrum. I
was one of those who were very critical of the system of
government that enveloped us all here. I have always
despised the bureaucratic red tapes. I have always
criticized the kind of system that we have, until now I
continue on criticizing the system.
Few days ago, I was in Malacanang Palace, there was
an important meeting of the Joint Monitoring Committee.
The Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamorawas presiding over
the meeting, Ambassador Abu Hartono, and Ambassador
Azarouq were present and so with the number of generals
from the AFP and the PNP. You see, I was very very
critical about the system, in fact I said that because of
the kind of system that we have we in the ARMM had been
adversely affected.
In the first place I would like to tell you that on
day 1 of my administration, the first question that I
raised was like this: I asked many of our brothers, ( the
more knowledgeable ones), how do you look at the ARMM? I
told them that my becoming a governor is accident of
history. I never dreamed of this. In fact suggestions were
put across to me by officials of the government, the first
thing I did was to flee to another place but the storm
brought me back to our homeland. I was already across the
high seas just so I could avoid being embroiled in
politics. Because I know very well that I will not be at
home with the kind of system that we have.
I was already across the sea. You can ask former
governor Gerry Matba, he was the one who took care of us
for three days. Before I could mount, I could embark my
journey to other side of the high seas, an emissary came
asking me to return back telling me that the leaders of
the MNLF had gathered at Sarangbangun and they wanted me
to return back. So I returned back and there, I found the
leaders, well, not everyone was there but a great
proportion of the key leaders of the MNLF and they
presented me with a resolution. They said this is our
unanimous resolution, you must run, you must accept the
request of the government for you to run. I said, why
should I run when I don't like the system. They said no
you have to run because if you don't run, ARMM might fall
into wrong hands. And the peace agreement that you have
signed might go haywire.
Because SPCPD, they said, is a do-nothing
institution of governance. SPCPD cannot do anything
according to the agreement and the law. And they told me
that some opposition quarters were in the process of
filing a petition for the annulment of our peace
agreement. As a matter of fact up to this day it is still
there with the Supreme Court. Opposition, some elements
opposed to the peace agreement, wanted the Supreme Court
to annul the peace agreement.
As a matter of fact, the proponent of this, (a
former governor) came to see me one time he said, Mr.
Chairman, if only I'm not ashamed of myself of having
filed (just recently, before the election) you will now
find me closely associated with you. But because of that,
I'm very sorry I can not associate with you, I'm very
ashamed. I hope he said, that the supreme Court will
dismiss that petition.
To show to you the difficulty we are facing here,
SPCPD is a do nothing institution. It cannot do anything.
It has been placed in a straight jacket, so to speak.
Because they don't give money. And the rationale behind
that is that they said, SPCPD is not a political
institution and therefore it cannot get money from the
Phil. Congress, it cannot construct roads, it cannot do
any infrastructure, or what so ever.
And so what do you have? I was in congress a couple
of days ago. First I went there to defend the budget of
the ARMM. For 1997, we got a budget of 3.1 billion in the
ARMM. But
dear brothers and sisters, don't be mesmerized by that
figure or that number. That is tantamount to almost
nothing because that is only intended for salaries of
19,000 human beings who should be maintained in office.
You calculate how much 3.1 billion would go for one whole
year. We have to pay salaries to people for twelve months,
you calculate.
And
for that reason, because of the scarcity of the amount
given to us for 1997 not to say for the last 3 months of
1996, for 1997 we were not able to do anything. The
capital outlay as it was revealed in congress was only 1%.
For 1998, we got 5.6 billion but you know what happened
just before I defended the budget of the ARMM. They told
me that out of the 5.6
billion budget, half billion has been placed to hands of
regions 12 and 9. In other words, it has been sliced out
of our budget. So what do we have is only 5.5 billion. And
of this total amount 25% will be deducted therefrom. So
what do we have, we have roughly about 4.5 billion or even
less, much less.
And I understand from the figures that given to me
that out of 1 billion intended for infrastructure only 56
million has been released. And this is already almost the
end of September, after September, we have October,
November, December and most of the days of December are
devoted to holidays. Why? They said because of election,
they said because of money, because of the financial
turmoil, everyone is affected.
I hope you understand the reason why we have not
addressed the problem of our people is that there is no
money for that. While there were some money intended for
poverty alleviation, I think, on one occasion I was with
our brothers in Cagayan de Oro City, the DILG national
were the ones who distributed the money for the mayors, I
was present. And as regards to the 212 million, I think
the Department of Agriculture has also distributed to the
governors, they got their share and the other people
concerned. If there are still money left over, it's very
minimal in amount, I understand. But most of the money has
been distributed.
For education, when I took over, there were more
than one thousand people who have not received their pay
for 2 years or even 3 years. I said, why? One
Superintendent came to me pleading that I help those
people. I said why, how come that out of more than 13,000
only more than 1,000 have not been paid. He said
they are not qualified.
They said, the Civil Service Commission has not
approved their appointment and therefore they are not in
the payroll. And what did we do? We tried to source for
fund, we tried to negotiate with the government and
Alhamdulillah, most if not all of them have received some
amount and I think a contract has been entered into by the
Department of Education-ARMM with the national government
and to let them continue with their contract.
At
least, one time when we were in Manila, the DECS-ARMM Sec.
Dr. Laja in the presence of school directors and
superintendents had told us that at least 85% had been
satisfactorily solved. And later on when I asked Bai
Sandra the Under Sec. of DECS-ARMM, she said they were on
the process of solving the rest of the 15%. And now, I've
not heard of any complain. We used to be cursed by the
people for not paying. They said habitual non-payment. I
asked the people concerned why despite the fact, I advised
them to advance the payment to at least one month. I said
even before they serve, they render service, you advance
their salaries for one month so that they will not be
victimized by the so called 5-6. I asked them, and they
told me that as regards to those who are in the payroll,
(those who have eligibility) they get their pay at least
20 days ahead of the end month. But just the same, some
people have been cursing us for not paying these people
who are not allowed by law, and even if we want to pay
them there is no money because the DBM would not give
money for their salaries.
But
at any rate, somehow we will be able to extend assistance
to them. And apart from that, I would also like to tell
you that as a consequence of the present financial
turmoil, out of the money we have, for 1998, we expect a
deduction in terms of the real purchasing value of our
peso by at least 75-70%.
My brother, dear governor was saying that he was
lucky that he was able to purchase heavy equipment at the
time when the peso was still 1 to 26/25. That's true
because on July 1 the onset of the crisis in Thailand,
peso was still 1 to 26 but now peso is hovering
between 43 and 45. Today it is 43. 8 something. The
crisis created by the failure of the Phil. Airlines might
further affect the status of the currency of the
Philippines. The crisis now gripping rubble, the national
currency of Russia is expected to add more burden to our
money. Even worst of it, Latin America and United States
of America are already affected. The people have now
______their word, they said there is a melt down in the
world economy, everywhere. And if the Yuan would be
depreciated either officially or unofficially then we will
have world wide catastrophe, may Allah forbid. The Yuan ,
the Chinese national currency, people have been pleading
to the Chinese government
not to ________ with the value of their money.
But the Chinese were affected by the Yangtze river
and they also want to be competitive in exporting their
commodities outside. And only when they reduce the value
of their money that they can be competitive.
Why did I mention this? Because of our analysis,
you can ask the people around me. I have been alive to
these issue. I was with Pres. Ramos in Bangkok when they
discussed this subject about the economic and the
financial crisis in Thailand. The Prime Minister, in fact
was the one who personally stood up to invite me to join
their discussion. Because I was sitting very very far from
them. He stood up and came and invited me to join them. At
the time Thailand was already facing very serious threat
but they said we are optimistic that we can overcome by
what happened.
Since that time, I kept myself
alive to the situation here in our homeland because
I wanted to shield our people from the impact of this
economic melt down around the world. Of course we are very
happy that a group of businessmen from China and Kuala
Lumpur came to visit me. And one of them shook my hand,
Mr. Governor, we congratulate you. I said why? He said you
are very lucky. I said why? He said, first, we know that
when you calculate business with people from outside you
always tell them not to calculate in peso or in other
currency but in dollar, the mighty dollar. That is a very
excellent policy. Number two, he said, I think you are
very lucky because you are just starting your economic
rehabilitation. Had there been huge amount of dollar,
circulating here, had our people contracted from banking
institution in the world.
Tape 2:
Other sector from the tip of Zamboanga City up to
Cotabato City will be built by another group. That's why,
I have to return back tomorrow because they are arriving
from Seoul. The president of the Republic of Korea is
sending message
to me assuring me to participate in the economic
development of Mindanao.
That one is about 400 kilometers.
A
proposal was sent to me through Congres1sman Jerry
Salapuddin from China. They proposed that they will build
for us the entire railroad. Unfortunately, the Yangtse
river is making trouble for them. I'm supposed to be in
Beijing on the 15th of
October. But they said, postpone a little bit not
that they don't want to, not the only investment from that
China will placed
here in Mindanao, no. Initially, they were talking in
terms of 8 billion dollar investment.
This
railroad alone will bring in at least four billion dollar.
If you multiply by 40 something, that is 160 billion.
That's one investment, 160 billion pesos will be brought
to Mindanao.
Another
investment here in Mindanao placed in my hands by the
president is the Agus 3. Agus 3 will bring in about 16-17
billion pesos investment. Pre-feasibility has been done, 2
days ago the
investors met in Tokyo. They want to advance the time
table for the feasibility studies because President
Estrada has been asking me, please, Mr. Governor, fast
track all those projects. The railroad is the darling of
the president. He's giving the highest priority to this
railroad.
In
Cagayan de Oro, during the meeting with the leaders,1 he
said this, I share the vision of the governor. The
railroad is his pledge and it is also my pledge. I will
not leave office until we can see the railroad run around Mindanao. That is the pledge of the president.
Another
very important landmark project is the proposed
construction of the container seaport and an international
airport blending the design of ______ and the gulf. And it
will be built in Jolo because we are converting Jolo into
a free trade zone. Now you know what is happening, our
businessmen have to go to Surabaya they have to go to
Menado, they have to go to Singapore, they have to go to
Bangkok, they have to go to many places in the world to
buy commodities here and there. If they go to Singapore
buying commodities coming from places like Shanghai, there
is already value added to it. That means the price is
higher than when you get directly from the factory in
Shanghai. Shanghai businessmen, Kuala Lumpur businessmen,
Tawaw businessmen, Osakan and Tokyo businessmen have
agreed with us to help us develop this.
So
therefore we will become center of business. Now what is
the idea behind making this Sulu and Tawi-Tawi the center
of business in this part of our homeland. You look at the
map, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu are very small and tiny islands.
There is such a law called the __________ Law of
economics. They said in their
postulate that willy nilly population, the increase
of population would outstretch the capability of the land
to feed such population. We are very small and tiny
islands. We have the agricultural sector of economy cannot
feed our citizens. That's why you see them as far as
Surigao, as far as Davao, many palces. Because the island
of Jolo is just too small to accommodate this teeming
number of population.
So,
once we become a free trade zone, commodities would come
directly to us. Not only that we will continue to be
consumers or users of that but we will also become
a distributor. So we can distribute instead of getting
commodities from Singapore and like that perhaps one day
we can turn the table and we can send commodities to them
instead. We send commodities to Luzon and Visayas even as
we send also commodities to every part of Mindanao. On the
other hand commodities coming from Mindanao do not have to
go through Manila. They can go to our free trade zone so
that, that way it will be more profitable for our people.
Apart
from that, there is also an investor for the Polloc port.
They want to improve the facilities of the Polloc port and
in fact the plan is to make Polloc maybe the biggest port
in the whole of Mindanao. A group of congressmen are
expected to arrive very soon, six of them, Insha Allah, I
will escort them to Polloc port. I will ask our
governor to help us in this. We will try to entice
them to develop. Another port, they are procuring money
about from 1/2 - 1 billion for the innovation and
rehabilitation of another port. I have not told anything
about this to the media because I want to start with the
infrastructure first before I invite the media. Because
people are always sarcastic. They always think us as if we
are making pies in the sky.
And
there is another project. According to Col. Eddun, an
investor is coming. I don't know how will we
receive this but I have contacted Datu Dima because
Datu Dima has sent me sample of a lime stone which is 90% cement and this was
brought already to United States of America. According to
Col. Eddun, an information has been sent from the USA that
the gentleman is coming by the middle of October. He
already has assembled equipment for that cement for about
13. 8 billion pesos, the equipment alone and the capital
investment apart from that 520 million dollars. I hope one
day the gentleman will come. I have met him already. He's
an old friend of President Ramos. They fought together
during the Korean war. Now he has become a big businessman
and Ramos sent this gentleman
to see me because he wanted to build a factory in
Cebu. But the lime stone is only 45% cement. So he is
interested to explore here. There are many other
investors.
But
let me just tell you about the road we are making in Jolo.
The government has given us 596 million. One time, before
the approval of our budget, we were asked to submit our
proposal. I was there to defend the budget with my brother
here, he submitted 10 billion for SPCPD. And I submitted
14 billion, out of the 14 billion, we got, as I said, 5.5
billion minus half billion, so 5.1 B minus the
depreciation of the peso, minus 25 reserved fund so you
have only skeletal budget. For him, he submitted 10
billion but out of 10 B, he got only 110 million minus
25%, so that's the kind of budget that we have.
At
any rate, even with this deduction we still have 447
million. Now the budget 14 Billion was a very ambitious
one. We
wanted to rehabilitate Mindanao, at least, the 4 provinces
ravaged by the war for more than 2 decades. And besides,
it's part of
the peace agreement. In the peace agreement it was
stipulated that the government would have a budget serve
to give us all the necessary infrastructure. They will
finance the reconstruction of the
roads, hospitals, airports, seaports, market places
and housing. And this would come in the mini-martial plan
for reconstruction and rehabilitation. But nothing of that
kind was materialized. There is no such thing as
mini-martial plan. They forgot all about this. And even
the budget we have is still small. But at any rate the 447
million after the deduction, we have now inaugurated the
10-lane circumferential road. The 10-lane circumferential
road will go around the island of Jolo, 140 kilometers
stretch. I have asked the government to fast track the
release of this funds. But I understand from Sec. Jajurie
- how much money have you received out of the 447 - only
33 million.
And
I think this money might go back to the treasury of the
government unless we are able to use before the end of the
fiscal year. Only 33 million but we have already undergone
earth works for more than 10 kilometers. And
we intend to accomplish this in matter of months,
Insha Allah. We are expecting more than a hundred
equipment coming from somewhere very soon. And with this
we will ask our brothers to do the work day and night. The
first thing to do is the earth works and go graveling and
then if we can have extra money then we can start
cementing or asphalting. The work will proceed step by
step that way. My purpose in making this big road is in
order to give impetus to our economic development in Jolo.
Because businessmen would be happy to travel in a very
safe and very wide road, and that's exactly what we intend
to do.
We
hope that we can get the money from the government and I'm
very glad to note that when I defended the budget although
I gave full freedom to the government (to the Congress) to
slice up as much money
as they wanted from it or to add. They said okey, we
approved your budget in toto both from ARMM and SPCPD. So
we'll have small augmentation for our road, maybe a
hundred million. I think with this money we can finish
this road Insha Allah.
I
wanted to consume much more time because there are many
thing I wanted to report to you since this is our first
meeting. But let me just tell a few things about the
Mindanao Agenda. During our meeting with the president in
Cagayan de Oro a few days ago, he was asked, Mr. President
what about the Mindanao Agenda, the covenant that you have
signed? What do you intend to do with that? Right away the
president said this, "I am going to call for a
constitutional convention and I will introduce the
Mindanao agenda specifically the regionalization of the
senate. I think you know very well that I have been
demanding for the democratization of the system. Because
the Phil. Constitution to me is less than being
democratic. If at all it is only democratic to our people
in Luzon and the Visayas, but very undemocratic and unfair
to our people of Mindanao.
Until
the May 11 election, we have no representatives at all.
And the people who represent us now in the senate, they
are originally from the Luzon and the Visayas. The native
people here (Muslim and Highlanders) are always at the
receiving end. Why like this? Because if a certain Muslim
runs he only gets votes from here. But if a certain
Christian form Mindanao runs he gets votes from here, he
gets from his place of origin and he gets votes from
Luzon. So how can you beat them. We cannot beat candidates
from Luzon
and the Visayas nor can we Muslims and Highlanders from
Mindanao beat those who originally came from there.
Because they have already stocks of votes already waiting
in the Luzon and Visayas. So we are always at the
receiving end.
So the strategy here, to democratize the system is for us
to actively participate in the constitutional convention.
And
not only that, last night, Fr. Mercado hinted to me his
desire for a Mindanawan seat with this Preparatory
Commission. There is a Commission being prepared to
outline the kind of changes to be introduced to the
constitution. I think we must send good quality people to
participate in that so that we can have this change
suitable for our people and for our posterity. At the same
time there are now talks going around, people are
soliciting opinions as to whether or not it is good
to go federal. Even my brother was consulted,
brother Datu Mus Sema, by some people of some places. I
said there's nothing as long as it will add more freedom
to our people here.
Autonomy
gives more freedom except that it is a transitional
mechanism, we can not do much. All what we do in the SPCPD
is to submit resolutions to Malacanang. Before, we used to
meet every month, so _______ were the members of the
Consultative Assembly, that before we knew, we had a big
file of resolutions. But none of them have been carried
out by the government. So what's the use.
And
therefore we decided to meet once after two and a half
months. So you can imagine the deterioration in our spirit
when in fact when I called for people to join us in the
Consultative Assembly until now I have not received
applicants. They don't want to serve anymore in the SPCPD.
And last Friday when they asked me to defend our budget
for SPCPD, this was the exact word that I gave the
Congressmen and Congresswomen who were presided over by
Cong. Lualhati Antonino, (one of the oppositions of the
SPCPD). I told her "Madame Chairwoman, I would like
to assure you that anything you will do to the budget goes
with us, you want to add, add, you want to retain, retain,
you want to reduce, reduce, you may even scrap the SPCPD.
I don't mind, after all it's useless. It's only creating
"Fitna". People are thinking as if
SPCPD can address the problem of our people. No, it
cannot. It's an illusion. They give us only 86 million,
last year it was 110 now it is only 86 minus 25%, minus
the depreciation of the value of the peso, we'll have
nothing at all. So don't expect us to do anything. That's
why, I said if you want to get rid of the SPCPD, get rid,
I don't mind, honestly, Allah is our witness. I don't mind
seeing by SPCPD ______
our ________. Because, if we proceed with, let say,
the question of the
referendum, people would want to have the referendum to
serve their vested
interest, their hidden agenda.
There
are those who want the referendum to be held in 1999.
Question is - do we want the repetition of the tragedy
that happened on the 7th of March this year? You know what
happened to the referendum in the Cordilleras, because of
the negative result of the referendum, the autonomy has
been cooked lately obliterated. There is no more autonomy
in the Cordilleras. Now what's happening here, I
understand what happened, as I told Malacanang during our
JMC meeting. I said the reason why the referendum was a
total failure was because, not only those who were opposed
to the autonomy were opposed but even those who used for
the autonomy were also the ones who ensured the failure of
the referendum. Why? I gave the answer to them. Both those
who fought for it and those who are opposed worked
together for the failure of the referendum because as to
those fought it and turn their back on the autonomy
because they knew that the autonomy was going be placed in
the hands of local
government officials, they said. My wife got telephone
calls from here friends from the Cordilleras telling her
should you have this referendum in 1998, you will face the
same problem. The autonomy might be completely
obliterated.
So
if there will be no more
autonomy because of the failure of the referendum, what
will happen? We might be pushed back to square one. And
people asked
me all the time, what will happen should you be backed to
square one. I said, my guess might be as good as your
guess. During the time of Marcos we were pushed back to
square one because we were betrayed, the autonomy was not
carried out. The Tripoli Agreement was not implemented. As
Imelda Marcos said in an interview with Liwayway or
Graphic, there was a full quotation coming directly from
her lips. She said, "why should we implement the
Tripoli Agreement when we have already achieved everything
from it". That's
the exact words. And this was brought to the attention of
the 1977 ICFM. And because of that we were made observer
in the OIC because they said they are not going to
implement.
What
happened after that? There was war. Did I like that war?
No. I never wanted war. I will never ask for war. I never
invited anyone to aggress on us and impose war on our
people. Everytime there is war in Mindanao, it's our
people, our children, our women and our old folks who get
victimized by the war. It's not our sisters in
Luzon and the Visayas were get raped. It is our
women here who were get raped by the thousand. It's not
our brothers and sisters in Luzon were get
massacred even in the tranquilities of our people, it's
our people. Why should we want war. We resort to war only
if there is no more choice in the exercise of our right of
self-defense. As Muslims, if your integrity, your
religion and culture and homeland is being transgressed
upon it is our sacred duty to fight back and defend your
right otherwise you will go to hell. You go to hell, if
you don't defend, if you don't exercise your right of
self-defense.
There
never was any moment in the life of our people when our
people aggressed on other people's homeland. We were
always be the victims. Was it our fault when Spain imposed
377 wars on our homeland? Was it our fault when the Dutch
fought against us here? Was it our fault when the
Americans imposed war on us? When Japan imposed war on us.
Was it our fault when the Phil. Armed Forces imposed war
on us, was it your fault, my fault or the fault of those
among our people who have perished in the war? No. It's
the fault of the aggressors. The Holy Koran is very
precise, Allah tells us "be not the aggressor for
Allah does not like the aggressor".
In
my instructions to my commanders in the field, I always
emphasized, I always highlighted the instructions that the
Prophets Mohammad (s. a. w.) and Khalif Omar (R. A.) and
the other Khalifs used to give to the warriors:
"don't kill children, don't kill
women, don't kill old folks, don't kill the
wounded, don't destroy houses, don't destroy churches,
trees, etc". This is the definition of Islamic
civilized warfare.
Now,
this is the situation why we don't like war. I don't like
war to happen because I don't like to account before God.
One day, I'm going to return back to Him. I don't like to
account for the life and for the blood of our people. But
then, if despite all of these cautions, still people
would, you know, force
us to defend our right in the exercise of our fundamental
rights of self-defense, then what can we do, because Allah
will also ask us what happened. Why did you not defend you
rights? So I would like to ask people from the media.
I
cannot afford to betray and have war with the government,
why should I, for what reason? Why should we
precipitate war here when we are going to be the
victims again? What I want is peace. As I said, when I
took my oath of office here in Cotabato City, remember-
this was my words,
having signed the peace agreement it is now our wish and
the wish of the people of Mindanao that there shall be no
more recurrence or
recycle of violence of blood bath and bloodletting in
Mindanao. We stick to it. That's why, we have been asking
the congress, please don't take any precipitous action.
Don't precipitate another war in Mindanao.
Because
what do you think will happen? If there will be no more
autonomy, what step will the people take. Do you think
they will fight for autonomy again. No more. Because that
will prove my contention, as I told the Islamic Summit of
the 54 member-nations of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference again and again, it is my belief I said that it
is much easier to gain independence for Mindanao than to
get autonomy. But just the same, we have to succumb to
their pressure because they said you must negotiate for
autonomy. So we negotiated, then we got autonomy.
Now,
we got the autonomy on paper but there is no material
component to autonomy what's going to happen? And if they
take a precipitous action to hold referendum, what will
happen? There are nothing visible that can attract the
people to support autonomy here. Now if the autonomy as
stipulated in the agreement will fizzle out, I'm afraid
people might go extreme. Either they go to the MILF or to
the Abu Sayaff or to the ICC, (the same group that claimed
the authorship of Ipil accident) or maybe, a hundred
maybe, the MNLF would now fight for independence once and
for all.
Thank
you.
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