But peace is not only the absence of war or conflict. For Indigenous women like me, peace is a matter of kefiyo fédéw (feeling of peace). This can only be achieved in the future Bangsamoro if all our basic needs such as food, shelter, security and recognition are met. We must have the fundamental right to our identity and our territory. This is our inherent birthright. It is not negotiable. The various parts of the BBL proposed by the Bangsamoro Transitional Commission, which had been tasked with drafting the law, include sections that (but are not limited to) the identity of Bangsamoro, the territory of Bangsamoro, the government of Bangsamoro, the judicial system of Bangsamoro, the fundamental rights of Bangsamoro, the economic, financial and fiscal framework of Bangsamoro, as well as provisions on the transition to proposed autonomy. Bangsamoro region. [8] As an organic act, the Basic Law abolished the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and provided for the basic governance structure for Bangsamoro after the agreements were established in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro Peace Agreement signed in 2014 between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. [3] Fifth, senior leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) reject Bangsamoro`s draft Basic Law.
The MNLF is one of the two main Muslim-led rebel groups in Mindanao; However, only the MILF is involved in the BBL talks, with the MNLF being marginalized. The chairman of the MNLF`s Islamic Command Council (ICC), Habib Mujahab Hashim, said that “the BBL is the product of a conspiracy” between the Philippine government and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). He said he was violating the 1996 Final Peace Agreement and the 1996 Tripoli Agreement, which guaranteed the autonomy of a Muslim Mindanao. The MILF and the MNLF both occupy the same area. So now there is a government conflict and a territorial conflict. Indigenous women are actively participating in the ongoing peace negotiations between the GPH-MILF, in particular in the drafting of the new Basic Law. We have sent organizational statements, participated in public hearings and presented our position in consultations on the Basic Law. We presented our proposals for provisions for consideration during the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Habib Mujahab Hashim says that at the moment there is no way for the MNLF and milf to resolve their differences regarding the BBL: “If two previous agreements are automatically abolished with the adoption of the BBL, then the MNLF will have no choice but to exercise our last option of independence for the Bangsamoro Republic,” he said. Indigenous peoples point out that they existed before the advent of Islam and Christianity. They should therefore not be subsumed under a bangsamoro or religious identity. This tension means that the future of 33 ethnic groups of indigenous peoples in Mindanao – about eight million Lumads – under the BBL is uncertain.
Indigenous women play an important role in our traditional governance. We are responsible for conflict resolution, leading rituals and acting as midwives when other Indigenous women give birth. I live in the southernmost part of the Philippines, in the hinterland of southern Upi. It is one of the poorest communities in Maguindanao province and is at the heart of the conflict. It is a central area of the planned future political entity Bangsamoro. Many indigenous groups in the Bangsamoro region do not adhere to Catholicism or Islam, making them vulnerable to exploitation in a proposed Muslim-controlled regional government. In 2015, various indigenous peoples rejected the formation of the Bangsamoro because they were not consulted with all stakeholders, especially non-Muslim indigenous peoples, who form a large minority in the proposed region. [35] While commitment to human rights and anti-discrimination looks good on paper, the test will lie in the implementation of these provisions. The examination must remain exceptionally high, especially in a system where the Family Code provides for provisions such as “The wife, with the consent of her husband, may exercise any profession or conduct legal affairs compatible with Islamic modesty and virtue. However, if the husband refuses to give his consent […] for serious and valid reasons, the case will be referred to the Agama Board of Arbitration”, which raises doubts about the effective implementation of women`s representation in the political sphere. The Organic Law of Bangsamoro (BOL; Batayang Batas para sa Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Bangsamoro[2], also known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and officially referred to as Republic Act No. 11054, is a Philippine law that provided for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
[3] Pro-Lumad organizations claim that the government is betraying the indigenous peoples of Mindanao. They say the law defines them as the Bangsamoro people, which “diminishes the distinctive identity of non-Moro indigenous peoples.” Fourth, the BBL executive is violating a 2008 Supreme Court decision. This prohibited the presidential office`s attempt to establish a separate political entity in Bangsamoro in Muslim Mindanao. If passed, the bill will violate this earlier Supreme Court decision and exacerbate tensions. Recognize the Lumaden as Lumaden (not Bangsamoro) and respect all the rights of indigenous peoples. Peace is not just the absence of war or conflict. For Indigenous women like me, peace is a matter of kefiyo fédéw (feeling of peace). This is important because it helps to challenge the general public perception that Aboriginal women are housewives who are limited to household chores. As one of the two main Muslim-led rebel groups in Mindanao, the MNLF is involved in the peace process and the adoption of the BBL.
On October 15, 2012, a provisional peace agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Government of the Philippines was signed at the Malacañan Palace. This was the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement, which provided for the creation of an autonomous political entity called Bangsamoro, which replaced the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). [32] On March 27, 2014, a final peace agreement was signed between the two sides, fully specifying the terms of the framework agreement and its annexes, the Bangsamoro Comprehensive Agreement (CAB). [34] Under the agreement, Islamic separatists would hand over their firearms to a third party chosen by the rebels and the Philippine government. [34] The MILF had agreed to dismantle its armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). In return, the government would establish an autonomous Bangsamoro. [34] Power-sharing was a central point in the overhaul of autonomy. [34] Both bills were to be passed before President Duterte`s Third State of the Union Address (SONA),[25] with the Senate ratifying the report of the Bicameral Conference Committee on the morning of July 23, 2018, but the House, led by Pantaleon Alvarez, did not ratify the Bicameral Conference Committee`s report before its A. While the palace was appalled by the delayed ratification of the report by the House of Representatives,[26] Alvarez was ousted from the president`s seat and replaced by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. [27] [28] As promised by Arroyo after she took the seat of president, the report was ratified on July 24, 2018,[29] paving the way for the submission of House and Senate bills to the President for adoption.
ensure the full political participation of women in all decision-making bodies in Bangsamoro; The law will essentially replace the current Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), established in 1989, and will expand both the area covered and the autonomy granted to the Bangsamoro government. This autonomy includes exclusive power over issues such as trade, labour and employment, tourism and banking institutions in the area provided. March 2, 2016: The Philippine government plans to create a new political entity known as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. Peace Direct`s local correspondent for the Philippines, Rey Ty, addresses the issue and highlights some key issues that need to be addressed. “Just, inclusive and distributive justice for all, regardless of class, creed, disability, gender and ethnic origin”; including recommendations. Seventh, there is no focus on gender. The Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy reported that a small group of women organized by the Institute for Women and Gender and the Mindanao Commission for Women said they had collected and discussed the recommendations for the BBL. Amina Rasul shared the following recommendations for women: When the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement on October 15, many rejoiced in 2012.
It seemed that peace had finally been achieved in the four-decade conflict between the government and the MILF.