It was August 2008 when the military launched and intensified its pursuit operations against the three rogue MILF Commanders who staged barbaric attacks against civilians in different parts of Mindanao particularly in North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Sarangani. These ruthless attacks were triggered when the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) was junked by the Supreme Court. After eleven months, families displaced by the occurring skirmishes were still sheltered in evacuation centers uncomfortably.
Four days before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) pleaded for the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to stop the war and resume peace talks immediately. Thousands of evacuees lined up on the highway stretch in Maguindanao to express their appeal of returning home. In response to the call, President Arroyo urgently issued the immediate suspension of military offensives (SOMO), providing a safe and organized environment as these evacuees returned to their respective homes and to provide a stable atmosphere for the sake of the resumption of peace talks between GRP and the MILF. The MILF likewise responded with its own Seccesation of Military Action, or SOMA.
The SOMO-SOMA declarations of both parties were focused mainly on the thought of these IDP’s situation and their welfare. It was more of a gift especially to most Muslim evacuees who are anticipating that they will no longer spend Ramadan on evacuation centers and that they can now live a normal life with their families at home. Though it was far from over, conflict has been gone in a fleeting time. But at the back of this small celebration, we cannot tell if this could be for the better, or it will just give those opportunists a chance to gather strength and formulate plans, if ever peace talks will not succeed. What if these lawless elements will take advantage of such peace process?
The suspension of military offensives of the government and military action of the MILF will just lead these lawless MILF group to regain their strength by collecting firearms and ammunitions, financial support from its foreign donors and recruitment for additional members. Thus, the said suspension will loosen security, allowing rogue rebels and its foreign terrorist allies to move freely and enable to conduct trainings in different camps especially in MILF’s duly recognized camps. Although the declaration of the MILF was sourced from their highly respected leaders which we, the people, rely for their sincerity in attaining peace, these possibilities are not far from reality.
Let us not be certain to what has been laid to us by the warring groups. As far as our security is concerned, we should still be vigilant by all means as we enjoy this effort made by the government and the MILF. Life, above anything, is what is at stake. We cannot deny the fact that despite of this progress, there are still doubts behind our minds. What if the much awaited peace talks will not prosper once again, chances are, another aggression will certainly happen and the worst is least expected. We cannot tell, how long could the cease fire last or how far can this peace progress reach. It fears us every time we remember that bloody attacks causing to the death of hundreds of civilians, and it scares the most if such will happen again and it is more aggressive, more violent than before.
Eleven months is long enough to bear the consequences brought by hostilities. What all we need is a genuine and unselfish intention to attain and sustain peace for the betterment of our land.
For the moment, lets just hope and pray that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will make good its promises, for Mindanao and the rest of its people.
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