Page 6 - Empowerment and Protection - The Philippines

of Moro and IP territorial claims over Muslim Mindanao. The proposed plebiscite on the Bangsamoro – to ratify the BBL after it is passed
in Congress – is an opportunity for both sides to decide on the inal delineation of the Bangsamoro, and whether a joining of the people will take place. At the same time, it shows us that we are all living in the same house. The history and changing of it is now in our hands.
Traditional conlict resolution and governance
We found value and merit in community mechanisms like having a council of elders, where we are all linked by a common tradition and history, working together to resolve conlicts peacefully.
We advocated joining these together into common mechanisms, and now into common support for the peace process through joint statements.
With the revival of traditional methods of conlict resolution, the cases of violence have dropped.
We are now lobbying for barangay oficials of the Local Government Units (LGUs) to recognise the councils that have proven themselves capable so they can become part of local governance systems and structures.
By emplacing simpler and accessible systems we actually show that there is no need for complicated and diverse structures or mechanisms.
We’ve also realised that frameworks introduced from the outside usually don’t work, since conlicts and realities are context-speciic and localised.
The respect for culture, traditions and beliefs, particularly for community people, should be observed, as this has time and again proven to be effective.
Transitioning towards peace
To accomplish normalisation, it is necessary to attain peace. Many of us now have to prepare ourselves to shift from MNLF-MILF combatant status to civilian or even peace advocate. We must move from foe to brother, from intolerance to tolerance. It will take a long and phased approach to reintegrate all of us back into community life as equal civilians.
After having been conditioned over the past 40, and even 500 years of constant armed conlict, there is a need for substantial social transformation, as well as personal transformation and maturation, to lead us all back to a peaceful and normal life.
”We must leave the inal resolution with the people.”
There is a need for a sustained effort both by the government and the rest of us, to recondition and disabuse those who have been exposed to constant conlict. We need to ensure this shift, from the current abnormal being seen as normal, to a truly normal and peaceful situation.
Fully realising human security
Our sense for human security was markedly awakened under martial law. Now there is this push for normalisation, towards peace of mind
and domicile becoming part of the Bangsamoro life. Resolving this requires a massive ive to ten year transformation and education campaign, supported by the consistent application of justice by the government. Rido is fed by the lack of justice delivery by the prevailing system. It is the weakness of the current government that prolongs insecurity that in turn fosters violence.
The challenge for now is that honouring human security principles will be dificult with people hardened by a long history of conlict. From the immediate armed response provided by rido,
we now have to shift its adherents to a more legalised and structured justice response, which also requires capable government structures. Such changes will not be attained in the blink of an eye.
On our end, what we have started is the process of people coming together and talking, particularly at community levels. In over ten years of work, the communities have now reached the point where they don’t need us to monitor them. The work
is now seen more as a community responsibility. They’ve reached maturation, allowing them to become empowered through our facilitation. We now see that peace does not come from high above, but from within ourselves. We must leave the inal resolution with the people.
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