Nurturing peace

By Menardo Wenceslao

BY the way things are going, there are no more impediments to the plan of establishing a veritable autonomous Bangsamoro land conceptualized in the Framework Agreement that was agreed and signed by and between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government under the administration of Pres. Benigno Aquino III. The guiding principles are popularly hailed by several fronts and the sentiments of hope for the eventual settlement of decades of discords are echoed across the land and all over the globe. World leaders who closely watch and monitor the progress of the tedious process of peace settlement share our enthusiasm that yet another conflict among mankind is settled.

Even the Moro National Liberation Front which was saberattling had recently declared that they do not come in way towards stable peace in the region once ravaged by war.  MNLF officials who had participated in the political processes and won are the ones leading the clarion call to settle once and for all the discord that had rend the region apart. Cotabato City Vice Mayor Muslimin Sema, the erstwhile chief of the MNLF combatants, came out first with a strong message that peace accord should now be pursued and that they are willing to stand side by side with the MILF to push for peace.

The only negative vibration is from the New People’s Army who cautioned the MILF from giving up their arms. But the voice is pipsqueak. While there was some kind of a tactical alliance between the MILF and the NPAs the admonition of the latter does not matter anymore. The negotiators have gone over the hump. Besides even the most radical elements in the secessionist fronts had realized that they have become isolated. The awesome response that comes in the way of celebration following the signing of the Framework Agreement carries a strong message that reverberates in their bivouacs shocking them to realization that the overwhelming majority including their own closest of kin wanted peace. They wanted to live a normal life.

The truth is it will be insane to ignore what the Framework guarantees to offer. Those outside looking in and monitoring the progress of the peace talks maybe salivating by now. For every Mindanaowons this means liberation from the selfishness and unresponsiveness of the Centrist government that knows only Metro Manila. Those in the Bangsamoro land only deserve to benefit what had been deprived of them in the past. They are handed the key to a door that leads to peace and bonanza.

That is why the next weapon to hold on is prayer and faith that all these expectations will come into fruition. The seed of peace has germinated and while this has passed the delicate stage of gestation it must be nurtured with utmost care least all the efforts will give birth to a mongrel or worse, stillborn. Either way it could trigger another upheaval. Something which we all abhor.