Good faith and strong resolve needed in peace talks.
08/12/2010
GOOD FAITH AND STRONG RESOLVE NEEDED IN PEACE TALKS. :: Today, I urge both President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to begin in earnest the resumption of
the peace stalled talks to put an end to the Mindanao conflict.
No one has suffered the most in this internecine war than the people
of Mindanao and the whole island is crying for peace.
But peace must be founded on justice, equality and mutual respect for
each and everyone’s political and religious beliefs. And it should
not be at the expense of dismemberment of Mindanao’s territory.
I call on President Aquino to clearly lay down government policies and
directions in dealing with the MILF and the armed conflict in the
island, with primacy in involving Mindanaoans in the actual peace
process.
I urge wider consultation and participation of people in Mindanao in
the peace negotiations.
I believe our government must now go beyond lip service and deal
squarely with the decades-old armed conflict in Mindanao.
President Aquino should now go beyond one-liners on the Mindanao
conflict like he did during his first State of the Nation Address.
As chief executive of a local government unit in Mindanao, I would
rather see more Mindanaoans in strategic executive branches in
government to bring genuine development and good governance closer to
the people in the island.
As a resident born and raised in Mindanao, I would rather see
government break the barrier of prejudice against its people. We
deserve equal treatment if not make up attention after centuries of
national neglect.
I also appeal to both the government and the MILF panels to be
circumspect in issuing statements that would only stoke the flames of
hatred and war.
The peace process must be built around good faith and sincere efforts
to bring peace in the island.
Governor Migs Dominguez
Sarangani
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