CONSORTIUM OF BANGSAMORO CIVIL SOCIETY
Cotabato City  

 A CALL FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO BASILAN AND SULU CRISES

 It is feared by many sectors that the military operations in Basilan and Sulu may have gone beyond the rules of law and had glossed-over due process. The issuance of warrants of arrest for some 11 suspects and other 100 “John Does” without a material basis is a culpable violation of the rules of justice. The unnecessary deaths of soldiers and civilians at the convenience of people in power with vested interested is a crime against humanity and a total waste of lives.

Despite persistent calls from various civil society organizations, including religious groups, the academe, some legislators, and local government officials to stop the operations to avert more lose of lives, destruction of properties and mass displacement of families, the government had ordered the military to pursue the unconditional manhunts allegedly directed against  the Abu Sayyaf.

It was enshrined in the constitution that “Sovereignty Resides in the People and All Government Authorities Emanate from them,” and that “Civilian Authority is Always Supreme Over the Military.” Is the President of the Philippines now solely exercising her power as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed-Forces of the Philippines in addressing the Crisis, with prejudice to her role as civilian leader, of this great country? Is she making the “Armed-Forces Above the Law” now at it pursues military operations in Basilan and Sulu? Is this a veiled manifestation of the total enforcement of the Anti-Terror Law?

To date, hundreds of lives have perished, millions worth of properties have been damaged, while thousands of families have been displaced. In all these appalling situations, it is the civilians who have become the hapless victims. Now it seems, even our soldiers have become unwitting victims of political agenda and are caught between “the devil and the big blue sea.” And the violation of their respective rights is merely treated by the government as a consequence, or even “collateral damage,” to preserve what to them is “national security.”

It is in this context that we, the major organs of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society reiterate our call to HE Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo not to be unduly influenced by warmongers surrounding her and to judiciously balance the exercise of her dual role as civilian President of the Philippines and as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed-Forces of the Philippines in addressing the Basilan and Sulu Crises and urge the following:

1. To effect the immediate and unconditional pull-out of military forces in Basilan and Sulu and settle the problem  peaceful means  to end the  two (2) wars;
2. To recognize the findings of the Joint GRP-MILF CCCH Fact-Finding Mission and enforce its recommendations to prosecute the perpetrators of the Basilan-Sulu Crises and,
3. To facilitate the immediate-safe return of the displaced-families in their respective places of origin and expedite the rehabilitation of their war-ravaged lives to start life anew.

We also reiterate the call to our partner local and international humanitarian institutions and organizations, both at the local and international levels, to complement these efforts in the immediate rehabilitation of the displaced-families and enable them to rebuild their lives.

We urge our friends and colleagues in media to assist in promoting, advocating and popularizing the burning desire of the Bangsamoro for a just and lasting peace and meaningful development.

Finally, we appeal to our legislators to enact a law that would enforce an effective mechanism that would perpetuate the cessation of hostilities and prevention of war in the Bangsamoro Homeland and that this mechanism be responsive and consistent with the unique culture of the Bangsamoro people; not some rehashed and uncontextualized “mini-martial plan.” 

               WIN PEACE, NOT WAR, IN SULU AND BASILAN…!!!

Adopted and signed in Cotabato City this 24^st day of August, 2007. 

(Sgd.)    CBCS CENTRAL OFFICE

(Sgd.)    CBCS – KUTAWATO REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

(Sgd.)     CBCS – RAJAH BUAYAN REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE     

(Sgd.)     CBCS – DABAW REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

(Sgd.)     CBCS – RANAW REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

(Sgd.)    CBCS – SIBUGAY REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

(Sgd.)     CBCS – ZAMBAS REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

(Sgd.)     CBCS – LUPAH SUG REGIONAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Cotabato City

24 August 2007

Last update : 28-08-2007 10:49

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