A
Quarter Of A Century
OF
ILLUSORY AND FRUITLESS
PURSUIT OF AUTONOMY: -- The MNLF'S Urgent Call
For A Realistic And Pragmatic Tactical &
Strategic Approach
(A
Speech delivered by H.E. Prof. Nur P. Misuari, Chairman of the
Moro National Liberation Front Central Committee, during the
Plenary Session of the Preparatory Meeting of the Senior
Officials of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Jeddah,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, May 29, 2000)
Mr. Chairman
Excellencies:
Assalamu Alaikum W’Rahmatullahi W’Barakatuhu!
Thank you for availing us of this opportunity to present
our humble views before this Preparatory Meeting of the Senior
Officials of the 27th Islamic Conference of Foreign
Ministers, due in Kuala Lumpur next month.
Actually, we’ve thoroughly scrutinized the draft
resolution of the OIC General Secretariat on our subject. But
while we were delighted to find some wonderful passages, yet we
also found in it some provisions that are not necessary. Others
are a little weak, a little faulty; while some are too passive
and hidebound to make a real dent on the growing complexity of
the Bangsamoro problem. It is wanting of that creativity and
decisiveness. And we doubt highly whether it can create an
atmosphere for a real breakthrough. Should you push through with
it without drastic changes, not only that this lofty house will
fly in the face of the prevailing situation in the Bangsamoro
Homeland, but that you will play us into the hands of the
Philippine Government again.
For instance, paragraph 11 will again give absolute
prerogative to the Philippine Government to decide on the fate
of the Peace Agreement. Therefore, it should be deleted from the
text.
And paragraph 15 will put everything in shambles, as it
will undermine our status as the sole legitimate representative
of the Bangsamoro people.
Therefore, unless you can improve the text, surely we’re
bound to repeat the past and hopelessly oscillate in our
predicament.
To make a breakthrough you ought to be more
forward-looking, creative and decisive. The past should serve as
a lesson to us. Don’t forget that since the last 3 decades,
this problem has been in the yearly agenda of the OIC, either in
the level of the ICFM or the Summit of the Muslim Heads of
State.
Sadly enough, it is now over a quarter of a century since
the issue of Autonomy has become a part of the yearly
pre-occupation of this Conference and, too, the Summit of the
Muslim Heads of State. Already since the passage of that fateful
Resolution in Kuala Lumpur, exactly 26 years ago today, the MNLF
has signed 3 Peace Agreements with the Philippine Government
with the participation of the OIC Ministerial Committee of the
Six and the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic
Conference. Nowhere in the world could one find such absurdity.
But then this only clearly shows that by that 1974
Kuala Lumpur Resolution, we’ve been placed in a trap ---with
our people’s struggle kept as it were in the storage.
For all its good virtues, that Kuala Lumpur Resolution
has derailed us from the correct path of self-determination and
independence and decolonization. For many centuries, the
Bangsamoro people were a free, sovereign and independent nation.
That resolution has indeed robbed our people of their soul, of
the quint-essence of their existence. In the early 15th
Century no less than the reigning Emperor of China had written
with his own hands an epitaph on the mausoleum of one of our
Kings, saying: “That he was a brave King and he was the Master
of the East!”
But owing to the centuries and turmoil wrought by endless
waves of foreign conspiracy and aggressions, we’ve lost our
freedom. Consequently, our sovereignty is being exercised by
people other than the Bangsamoro people themselves. Indeed, by
the 4th of July 1946, the Bangsamoro Homeland was
annexed and gobbled up by the newly formed and newly independent
Republic of the Philippines. Since then and in vindication of
our people’s right to self-determination and independence, we’ve
been embroiled in a war of national liberation. The word
secession is a misnomer and can not be applied at all to our
people’s struggle. Ours is a just and legitimate struggle for
the decolonization of our National Homeland based on the
fundamental principles of self-determination and independence of
non-governing peoples or nations of the world. Exactly the same
as the struggle of the heroic peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin
America.
Since the signing of the Tripoli Agreement in 1976,
exactly 24 years ago today, the MNLF, once unified and
monolithic, has been subjected to division and disunity. The
Tripoli Agreement has, in fact, spawned 3 armed movements,
namely: The MILF, the so-called Abu Sayyaf and the ICC.
Since the MNLF has already opted for Autonomy, in
compliance with the 1974 Kuala Lumpur ICFM Resolution, so all
these three organizations have decided to continue where we left
off. That is to
say, to continue the MNLF-led struggle for self-determination
and independence and decolonization of the Bangsamoro people and
their National Homeland of Mindanao and its islands, including
the island of Palawan.
Indeed, at the present moment only the MNLF remains
faithful and steadfast in upholding the OIC Resolutions and the
GRP-OIC-MNLF Peace Agreements. Even the Philippine government
does not seem to exude any sign of sincerity and seriousness in
complying with the Peace Agreement in letter and spirit.
Otherwise why the prolonged delay. For that matter, even the
Christian community in Northern Mindanao, under the banner of
Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM) is fighting for
independence of Mindanao. So, too, the 6 million indigenous
Highlander Tribal Community. In the meeting of the Supreme
Council of their 42 Royal Houses, they strongly re-affirmed
their Bangsamoro identity and their support behind the
Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination and independence had
the wholesale decolonization of the Bangsamoro Homeland. Text of
their
resolution was brought by us to Burkina-Faso last
year. But we didn’t find the opportunity to formally submit it
to the OIC General Secretariat. Insha
Allah, this document will be forwarded in Kuala Lumpur next
month.
In
the meeting of the MNLF Leadership recently, everyone expressed
doubt as to the viability of such autonomy. A quarter of a
century of dilly-dallying on the part the Philippine government,
from Marcos down to Mrs. Aquino and Ramos and the present one,
should be enough eye-opener to us-that perhaps autonomy is much
more difficult to achieve than independence. While the cause of
self-determination and independence tends to unite all of us
under one single banner as happened in the beginning of our
struggle. Autonomy, on the other hand, creates dissension and
division and disunity and weakness among our people.
We’ve given more than enough chances to the Philippine
government to demonstrate its sincerity, but every time we got
nothing but alibis and downright lies. From day one of the
latest Peace Agreement, the MNLF Leadership has been under
ceaseless and bitter criticism by the Philippine media and
certain officials of the Philippine Government, particularly
from both Houses of the Philippine Congress. It is our feeling
that, as our forebears warned us in the famous 1935 Dansalan
Manifesto: “We (Bangsamoro people) can not really be under one
roof with the Filipino people and Government!”
It will be recalled that in 1974, the MNLF Leadership
went to the 5th ICFM in Kuala Lumpur appealing for
the recognition and support behind our people’s fundamental
birthright to self-determination and independence. But they were
disappointed. Instead, they were presented with that fateful
resolution which derailed our people’s Cause and struggle and
placed their fate and
destiny as it were in a suspended animation.
And shortly before the MNLF delegation left for this
conference, the enlarged Central Committee of the MNLF met in
Zamboanga City to draw up a new strategic program of action.
Among others, they believe that demanding for a mere
extension of the implementation of the Peace Agreement in the
face of the present war in Mindanao and the overwhelming demand
for independence, will surely run counter to our paramount
interest. They noted that even the so-called “Abu Sayaff
bandits,” is demanding for self-determination and
independence. Few are still interested to continue with the
pursuit of autonomy that has eluded us for over a quarter of a
century now. A distinguished leader of the Christian
Independence Movement, the Honorable Homobono Adaza, told his
audience at the Philippine National Defense College that at most
only the MNLF is still working for autonomy. Everyone in
Mindanao, he observed, is aspiring for independence.
It will be recalled that it was this 1974 ICFM Conference
in Kuala Lumpur, on the occasion of the 5th ICFM,
that conceived of this idea of Autonomy. While we finally agreed
to such decision after so much prodding, yet it came to us as a
fait accompli solution. We were never
consulted beforehand. We agreed to it only to avoid
the Bangsamoro people from the OIC and the Islamic Ummah it
represents. And even the acceptance
of the Peace Agreement by the MNLF is conditioned
upon the establishment of a genuine political autonomy, at once
just, comprehensive, and permanent. But since the Philippine
Government has been running away from its binding international
commitment and obligation, as witnessed by its dilatory tactics
for over a quarter of century now, so the Bangsamoro people
under the MNLF Leadership are not bound by it at all. In other
words, we cannot give away our people’s fundamental right to
self-determination and independence for nothing. We have no right to do that. Autonomy was committed to our
people some 26 years ago today. Now, we are returning back to
Kuala Lumpur and in Kuala Lumpur you’re going to preside over
the fate of our people and our children once more! Can we now
expect therefore some rectification in the tactical and
strategic approach to the problem?
Yes, in Kuala Lumpur, some 26 years ago today, we went
there to plead for the case of our people’s fundamental right
to self-determination and independence. For we believe that we
can stand on our feet. Mindanao and its island are a beautiful
piece of land, 130,000 square kilometers wide endowed with vast
seas and resources, namely, the Sulu Sea, and our part of the
Celebes Sea, the South China Sea, the Mindanao Sea and the
Pacific Ocean. It is indeed very strategic, straddling across
the arteries of the maritime commerce of East and West. Given
its freedom, it can easily catapult into one of the fastest
economies of the world, because of its great economic
potentials.
In 1948, two years after the imposition of Philippine
colonial rule and the annexation of our people and Homeland as
part of present Philippines, over 85% of the nearly 3 million
population were identified officially as Muslims. Now the
population ranges from 20 to 22 million-strong according to the
latest estimate, after over half a century of uninterrupted
demographic growth. According to our rough estimate, the
Bangsamoro people (i.e.
native or indigenous Muslims and Highlanders alike) is roughly
15 million strong. This includes all our Muslim population,
including those who have left the Bangsamoro Homeland for
greener pastures elsewhere. And this also includes over half- a
million of our refugees in Sabah.
Meanwhile, as a reflection of the fast-changing political
mood in the Philippines, a bill was expected to be jointly
introduced in the Philippine Senate, calling for the amendment
of the Philippine Constitution and the introduction of a
Federal System of government.
According to the chief proponent, the Hon. Sen. Aquilino
Pimentel, who is the Chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon
Committee and the author of the Philippine Autonomy Law, unless
the Philippine Constitution is drastically changed or amended,
it is impossible to grant genuine autonomy to the Bangsamoro
people. Therefore, he is championing the cause of Federalism as
a way out.
Incidentally,
Sen. Pimentel was the man who negotiated and signed with us and
the OIC Secretary General the long-forgotten “Jeddah Accord”
of 1987. That was during the height of the euphoria over
Mrs. Corazon Aquino’s rise to power after the overthrow of the
Marcos Dictatorship the year before.
Besides,
another powerful Senator, the Hon. John Osmena from Cebu, is
also reportedly preparing a bill in the Philippine Senate
calling for the creation of a Commonwealth of Muslim States in
Mindanao. While the Bangsamoro youths and professionals in
several educational and other institutions in the Philippines,
including some of the most prestigious ones, are openly
espousing self-determination and independence for the Bangsamoro
people and their Homeland.
Considering all these facts of life, the question of
Autonomy is being fast overtaken by events.
Only the MNLF remains faithful and tenacious in pursuing
the rainbow of Autonomy. On several occasions, in my address
before the Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference and the
Summits of Muslim Heads of State, I submitted my humble opinion
that it is much easier to gain independence than Autonomy! We
strongly believe that such is the case.
Therefore, given the enormous disadvantages we’ve
reaped from 26 years of fruitless search for Autonomy, we would
now like to ask for one simple thing: Please help us recover
from such great damages inflicted on our people and
organization. To do this, there is only one thing we need, and
everything will, Insha
Allah, go right. Accept us as full member of this
Organization and you’ll see the disgruntled elements among the
Bangsamoro people thronging in droves in support of our
leadership again.
Insha Allah,
once the Bangsamoro people become full member, through MNLF
representation, in its capacity as the “sole legitimate
representative of the 15-million Bangsamoro people,” then not
only that we can regain the respect of our entire society but
also we can surely compel the Philippine Government to abide by
its binding international commitment and obligations to deliver
genuine political Autonomy to our people.
But as a starter, and having proven both the 3-year and
the one year transitional mechanism a dismal failure, the MNLF
Leadership would now like to demand for the immediate
establishment of the Provisional Government contained in the
Tripoli Agreement of December 23, 1976, to be followed in its
wake by the down-right creation of a genuine political autonomy.
Unless the MNLF will get this genuine Autonomy, according to the
letter and spirit of the Tripoli Agreement, then we may have
little option left save to fall back on the Bangsamoro people’s
fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination and
independence - - - through the wholesale decolonization of the
Bangsamoro Homeland of Mindanao and its islands, including
Palawan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan and Camiguin.
For this purpose, we intend to follow the peaceful method taken
by the East Timorese Movement in pursuit of their independence
or that same pattern taken by the Independence Movement of
Quebec.
Mr. Chairman
Excellencies:
All
these thoughts are summed up in the MNLF Draft Resolution now in
circulation in the Hall as an amendment to the Draft Resolution
prepared by the OIC General Secretariat.
We’re
humbly submitting that Draft for your perusal and your brotherly
support.
Anticipating
your fraternal understanding and support in the spirit of our
Islamic brotherhood and solidarity; and
Wa Billahi Tawfik W’al Hidayah, Wassalamu Alaikum
W’Rahmatullahi W’Barakatuhu.
PROF. NUR MISUARI
Chairman,
Moro National Liberation Front
