SARANGANI, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / August 19, 2008) – Muslim scholars and shariah lawyers have appealed for a stop in fighting between security forces and Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in Mindanao and for peace negotiators to resume talks.
They also called on the Supreme Court to lift an order temporarily stopping the signing of the ancestral domain deal between Manila and the MILF. The accord would grant Muslims their own homeland in Mindanao.
In a statement calling for peace and justice in Mindanao, at least 41 Muslim scholars from Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, Sarangani and South Cotabato provinces, General Santos and Cotabato cities, expressed alarm over the fighting in Mindanao and the stalled signing of the ancestral domain deal.
The Ulama gathered recently in Sarangani province for a two-day consultative forum hosted by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy. It aimed to craft by-laws for the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines.
The statement appealed to both parties to exercise restraint and sobriety amidst heightening tensions in Mindanao and honor the agreement on the cessation of hostilities signed in 2004 and avoid escalation of conflict.
“We ask the Philippine Commission on Human Rights and other regional and international human rights organizations to monitor the conflict and ensure that internationally accepted agreements on war are adhered to.”
“We appeal to national government officials, political leaders and other personalities to refrain from issuing irresponsible and inflammatory statements that may deepen the crisis and cause unnecessary conflict among the different religious and ethnic groups in Mindanao; further, the Muslim community will reject any attempts to hijack the peace process for political opportunism,” it said.
The Muslim scholars also opposed any plans to revisit or renegotiate the MOA-AD and instead urged government to honor its commitments as stipulated in the agreement approved by the peace negotiators.
They also appealed to journalists to be responsible in their reporting and not to exacerbate the already tensed situation. Dr. Anzari Ali, a Muslim scholar of the Mindanao State University, said the problem in Mindanao should be properly addressed by the government. He said MOA-AD is an ideal solution to resolve the decades-old conflict in the troubled region.
“If all the Moro people are successfully annihilated, then the problem will be solved,” he said, “but I believe nobody wants to do it.” He added that such approach was applied during the Marcos regime and it never succeeded.
Bai Amira Kusin, a Muslim preacher and a peace advocate from General Santos City, said the failure of the government to sign the MOA-AD justifies it insincerity to deal with the Moro people.
Ustadz Mohamad Taha Abdulgapor from South Cotabato said the MOA-AD is the key to resolve the Bangsamoro’s clamor for self-determination which they have been fighting for. “Why not give chance to the Moro people run their affairs,” he asked. (Gandhi C. Kinjiyo)
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