Yesterday (January 4 2010), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) announced in its website that it issued a Memo to its Mujajideens (revolutionaries, but in the luwaran site, it translated the term to “strivers”). Salient portions of the Memo are quoted verbatim:
You are hereby directed to abide by the provisions of this Memorandum banning all political and military officers of the MILF in all levels to participate in the 2010 national and local elections. This so-called democratic system of choosing leaders is not only divisive and acrimonious and creates animosities and intrigues, but it also failed miserably to produce the best and qualified people to lead the people. Usually, those with “gold, guns, and goons” get elected; and the consequence is, a corrupt and strife-torn society is in place. (emphasis supplied)
You are hereby directed to abide by the provisions of this Memorandum banning all political and military officers of the MILF in all levels to participate in the 2010 national and local elections. This so-called democratic system of choosing leaders is not only divisive and acrimonious and creates animosities and intrigues, but it also failed miserably to produce the best and qualified people to lead the people. Usually, those with “gold, guns, and goons” get elected; and the consequence is, a corrupt and strife-torn society is in place. (emphasis supplied)
In this regards you are hereby specifically prohibited to participate in political campaigns/rallies, to deliver campaign speeches on stage during campaigns/rallies, to solicit campaign funds, and to allow candidate/s to use one’s vehicles during the election period.
The highlighted portion caught my attention because it captures the late MILF Chairman’s (Salamat Hashim) vision of a complete fusion between religion and government (Islamic Government a la Iran). I wonder if this statement against democracy itself is indicative of MILF’s stance on the kind of system they want established in the event that they be granted a measure of self-governance.
Certainly, it is difficult to imagine a version of the one-country, two-system approach like China here in the Philippines. It is simply constitutionally impermissible.
Perhaps the MILF members simply had too much experience of warlordism in Mindanao. The long domination of the Ampatuans, Sinsuats, Pendatuns, Dimaporos, among other clans claiming noble origins from the Sultanate days, despite the shift to democracy, may have misled the followers of the MILF into thinking that what its members experienced were traceable to democracy.
Indeed, if we follow the narrations of the people in the areas where warlords govern, the situation is very far from the ideals of democracy. The word “law” in said areas is not the equivalent of “law” as we know it. Due process may even be an alien concept.
The challenge however is how to make democracy work. Elections are integral to making democracy work.
The MILF may consider themselves outside of the system and hence, they refuse to participate. But why not participate? After all, whether or not peace would come to Mindanao lies partly in the hands of the new set of leaders.
Bryan A. San Juan
Entry No. 8
The highlighted portion caught my attention because it captures the late MILF Chairman’s (Salamat Hashim) vision of a complete fusion between religion and government (Islamic Government a la Iran). I wonder if this statement against democracy itself is indicative of MILF’s stance on the kind of system they want established in the event that they be granted a measure of self-governance.
Certainly, it is difficult to imagine a version of the one-country, two-system approach like China here in the Philippines. It is simply constitutionally impermissible.
Perhaps the MILF members simply had too much experience of warlordism in Mindanao. The long domination of the Ampatuans, Sinsuats, Pendatuns, Dimaporos, among other clans claiming noble origins from the Sultanate days, despite the shift to democracy, may have misled the followers of the MILF into thinking that what its members experienced were traceable to democracy.
Indeed, if we follow the narrations of the people in the areas where warlords govern, the situation is very far from the ideals of democracy. The word “law” in said areas is not the equivalent of “law” as we know it. Due process may even be an alien concept.
The challenge however is how to make democracy work. Elections are integral to making democracy work.
The MILF may consider themselves outside of the system and hence, they refuse to participate. But why not participate? After all, whether or not peace would come to Mindanao lies partly in the hands of the new set of leaders.
Bryan A. San Juan
Entry No. 8
**picture shows consultation with young Muslim professionals. i would like to take this as a sign of democracy taking root in the thinking of the MILF leadership but it may be premature to say so.
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