More than a thousand students with University personnel, faculty members and visitors attend a consultation on Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro spearheaded by Mindanao Human Rights Action Center with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at the Mindanao State University- General Santos gymnasium Tuesday, November 27.
Dr. Prescillano Campado, Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities and OIC- Chancellor welcomed guests and participants to the forum and encouraged everybody to participate during the day.
MinHRAC Executive Director Atty. Zainudin S. Malang in his opening statement urged the students to listen and learn the lessons of history in Mindanao.
Malang recalled a song by the famous band Asin to refresh the students who were mostly born in Mindanao, but more to it he said were the conflicts and social disturbances that had beset the land for many years expressed in the song.
In the absence of a peacetalk, parties can just pick up their arms again and go back to war. “But that is not what we want to happen that’s why we are here,” Malang said.
“The framework agreement is a cure, but in order for the medicine to be effective, we must first know the disease.”
Malang emphasized on respect to fellowmen as a key towards lasting peace despite religious and cultural orientations.
“The framework agreement between the government and the MILF can be compared to building a house,” Malang said.
With Atty. Malang, International Monitoring Team- Civilian Protection Component Head Amir Faisal Bin Ahmad and Datu Antonio Kinoc composed the panel of speakers.
Kinoc, a Blaan, is an MILF Alternate Panel Member. He explained the word Bangsamoro was coined from the Malaysian term “bangsa” which means nation and “Moro” which he said was generally named after the natives of Mindanao including the Blaans by the Spaniads.
At the open forum, Professors Daniel Delos Santos, Maulawi Calimba and Richard Pernia, with some students from MSU and Holy Trinity College asked questions from the resource speakers who also gave their own views on the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement.
“I am grateful to see the sincerity and honesty of the reactors and the students during the open forum. You see, we can talk like brothers,” Malang said.
MinHRAC said the consultation can be used as a feedback for the ongoing peacetalk between the Government and the MILF. They said they were in Cotabato City yesterday for an orientation among peace advocates and peace networks in the region.
Graduate School Dean Dr. Domingo Non formally closed the half- day activity thanking the speakers and the participants. (Source: MSUGensan.edu.ph)