Throughout history, the world has been through many experiences during which the word and the sword were used. History never forgets those who stood by people to realise their dream of peaceful co-existence, freedom and equality. In turn it will not forget those who suppressed minorities and abused their political,social and economic rights. History books carried the names of many leaders who played major roles in their peoples' lives.

However, today most of us Moros lament the fact that there are no congressmen and senators representing us who stand out in the congressional debates on major current events. It was so different during the time of Sen. Alauya Alonto, Sen. Domocao Alonto, Sen. Salipada Pendatun and Cong. Rashid Lucman.They were stuff of legend, spoken about with awe, men who were fearless in ways that added a whole new dimension to the word. They opposed every program that smelled of marcos dictatorship. The only display of brilliance we could pick out from the present crop of legislators was during the war against terror of Cong. Jun Macarambon, the shut up incident of Cong. Digs Dilangalen and the impeachment vote of Congressman Mujiv Hattaman. I can only hope neither of them abandon the capacity for idealism that goes with their obvious gift of articulation. But nothing noteworthy to mention followed afterwards.

If there is one institution in this country today that best shows the extent of degeneration of our political system, it's the house of Representatives. It's the one institution that manifests how so entrenched political patronage and elitist politics in this country are. For so long an institution dominated by self serving political leaders, it does everything right or wrong to ensure that their political and economic survival is assured. It only shows that in this country the only thing more volatile than weather is principle.

If you analyze the function of the Bangsamoro who is positioned in government, he is never enabled to really take a firm stand. He would open his mouth only to the degree that the political atmosphere will allow him to do so. In my opinion a mature political action is the type of action that enables the Bangsamoro to see the fruits that they should be receiving from the politicians and thereby determine whether or not the politicians are really fulfilling his function. And if he is not, then we should set up the mechanism to remove him from the position by whatever means necessary. There's only one way to put a politician out in conventionally - and that is to vote him out.

How could this happen to us? I can go on and bitterly blame the government, but that would be a futile exercise. Instead I would like to enjoin Muslim officials and policy makers and everyone on the Bangsamoro payroll to please, please take a look around you. It wouldn't hurt to have some concern for your constituents and their living conditions. So to our Moro leaders and to all the honorable Muslims of the land, you who are our legitimate representatives, who were voted into office by the Bangsamoro people. Though few in numbers, you remain our only protectors against an oppressive government. As others have been corrupted with bribes and promises of bribes, may you stand as firm and as defiant as our Mujahideen brothers. The challenge before you is not showing the numbers, it is righting wrongs. The challenge before you is not closing ranks, it is opening eyes. It is better to lose fighting the good fight than to win peddling the bad cause.

I always have the faith in the securities of our tomorrow's hope that the days of our children will be better than our own. But the Bangsamoro is losing that faith; now majority of our people believe that the next 3 years will be worse than the past 3 years. I believe the time to act is now. These are the times that shape the character of a person.

Today we have the opportunities to create future leaders. Positive change must be permanent not cosmetic.

Our situation cannot be changed overnight. It needs an over-all change not only in our political structures but more importantly in our ways of thinking--that is our sense of awareness. If you will look at it clearly, the greatest enemy of the Bangsamoro is not our leaders although they have much to answer for where we are situated now, but in all honesty, our greatest enemy is ourselves. The truth is, no one is clean and no one is with out responsibility. Not me, not you and not our politicians. Each and everyone of us should do his part.

We keep on blaming our political leaders for the mess we are in. We keep on demanding good governance from them but we have not demanded anything from ourselves so Muslim Mindanao wouldn't remain impoverished. Let us try to change our traditional way of thinking and our negative attitudes toward life.

My point is before we start looking for heroes let us look for our personal responsibility from within ourselves. Before we criticize our fellow Moros and politicians, we should look at ourselves; because even if we are able to completely change all the people in the government--from the President down to the Barangay level, without our involvement to change their consciousness, we will still go back to the same predicament in no time. The solution to this problem is to impart to every bangsamoro religious education so that they do not yield to any malignant influence.

It is the failure of the government's school system that is greatly distressing. We must attempt to educate them in their own atmosphere and in the scene of their own activities, because in such surroundings the best efforts on the part of the teacher are in vain. As soon as our youth leave school they will mingle with company of their own sort which nullified the school influence altogether. The only solution to this problem is separating them from their social environment, only for a period of time, And gathered together in mosques or religious institutions away from bad spheres of influence. Thus detached from their wordly and material atmosphere, they would be imparted education by counsel and guidance in the company of religious people.Voting wisely is merely standing your ground. Whatever happens to the elections, you win by the very act of following your conscience.

I honestly don't know what the future will really bring us. But I am hoping that if we continue dreaming for a brighter tomorrow for Muslim Mindanao and if we keep on believing that there is still hope for the Bangsamoro, then someday Inshallah we might just see that dreams really do come true...WASSALAM!

 

	1. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 12-12-2007 21:34 - Guest
	Article Response Sir:    As a native of Marawi City, I was appalled at the state of our community upon my return in 2002: it has not truly changed. I concur with your contention, however I charge our citizens to uphold the mantle of political activism. Many of the problems you mentinoned are attributed not only to inept politicians, but also the Maranaws who vote them into office. To affirm the tenants of the democracy in which we preside, I urge our brothers and sisters to petition for increased transparancy in our government\'s interactions. By increasing scrutiny of our governments\' policies,we can effecitvely maximize its legitimacy, deterring and inhibiting corruption. Making our representives responsible to their constituents\' wants, we can check thier corruption. Moreover, I urge our community to extend their social consciousness and apply that rheotoric insofar as increasing their political pressure upon thier policymakers to induce change. The wrongs of the past have been perpetuated by the apathy of our people in the present. To incite true change, I urge our community to examine thier democratic roles and utilize their political capital.

	2. Written by sunny rasheed lucman pacasum on 16-12-2007 01:30 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS brother acmad usudan,...we deserve the government we get.....we r certainly waging a battle for the hearts and minds of every bangsamoro...dat is d war we must win!!!!!!

	3. Written by sunny rasheed lucman pacasum on 18-01-2008 05:53 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS brother acmad usudan,...we deserve the government we get.....we r certainly waging a battle for the hearts and minds of every bangsamoro...dat is d war we must win!!!!!! wassalam

	4. Written by the teacher on 18-01-2008 06:48 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS I don't know if it's intentional or not but I think the LATE MOHAMMAD ALI DIMAPORO, the first congressman of Lanao AMER MINDALANO and ATTY. LINDY PANGANDAMAN should be included to the great leaders that we have in our Bangsmoro homeland ir here in our province.

	5. Written by nabil diator on 18-01-2008 08:09 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS teacher: Did you read the whole article? one question Did this leaders you mentioned oppose every program that smelled of marcos dictatorship? thats the answer to your question. they are all great leaders in their own right. but not during martial law when we needed them most. I was a teenager during the marcos years and we were not allowed to go out at night. i even was imprisoned in iligan beaten up by military and police because i was a muslim. a teacher should know his history.

	6. Written by the teacher on 19-01-2008 04:54 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS to nabil diator:  Yiu read properly.    Did the Late Alauya Alonto stood up during martial law?   was he alive that time?     Read Read REad, then correct anuy injustice and bias report.    thanks.

	7. Written by the teacher on 19-01-2008 07:32 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS To nabil:    you also have to evaluate what you are reading.     I think si Sen. Alauya Alonto at si Sen/Cong. Pendaton was no longer in power during Martial Law.     it was the Late Ama Rashid who was fearless that time.    so, what would you expect me to write on, accept that only those listed are the great leaders or the few good men, no.    for me, though I am not related to him, the Late Dimaporo had served well during his time. He has his own reason in joining Marcos during the regime. in fact, he was very wise that he gives full support and financial assistance to our MNLF comrades that time while he pretend to attack and warn them that he will wage war against them.     I personally, appreciate the loyalty that the lade Dimaporo has. Even in his last breath he should to the whole country that he is loyal to Marcos. He was featured in the ABS-CBN show titled "PIPOL". I don't appreciate leaders who are Balimbings and opportunity grabber.     I salute those men who stood up to their beliefs til the end. Loke Ed ANGARA, Hagedorn of Palawan, etc. when ERAP was driven out of Malacanyang, he stood up to the end. while, Mercado, Jowarski, Satiago, Angelo Reyes, Lacson and other officers that time danced boogie with the people in EDSA.     We need a leader with principle and firm stand.

	8. Written by Datu Cairoden Matalam on 19-01-2008 16:16 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS To Teacher: I am the grandson of the 1st muslim senator and congressman Salipada Pendatun. He was the bravest amongst them all he fought against ferdinand marcos during martial rule and died doing so. His greatest contribution was forming the black shirts with Cong. lucman who was like a brother to him.Our leaders should only be loyal to its muslim brothers not to Marcos even if he is president. That is Principle and that is what seperates them from other leaders.

	9. Written by siringan on 19-01-2008 22:01 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS to Cairoden Matalam:     how are you related to jambo matalam?

	10. Written by nabil diator on 20-01-2008 03:40 - Guest
	A BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS To the teacher: here is my reply     the teacher said:I personally, appreciate the loyalty that the lade Dimaporo has. Even in his last breath he should to the whole country that he is loyal to Marcos.  my reply: You mean to tell me a Good leader should be loyal to his master even if his master murders millions of muslim brothers? Is that something to be proud of? you should teach your students that a true leader should only be loyal to what is right and just.  The teacher said: I don't appreciate leaders who are Balimbings and opportunity grabber.  My reply: i dont either, especially those leaders that would sacrifice the lives of his muslim brothers so marcos will give him more opportunity and power.  The teacher said:I salute those men who stood up to their beliefs til the end. Loke Ed ANGARA, Hagedorn of Palawan, etc.   My reply: I will never salute a leader whos loyalty is to a corrupt president to feed his greed and sacrifice the lives of his constituents. that is stupidity.  The teacher said: We need a leader with principle and firm stand.  My reply: Yes we do, also we need a teacher who knows what she teaches to the students. specially what is right and what is wrong.what is haram and what is halal. teacher go back to school and enroll to grade 1 read read read. and understand what you read before you teach. you dont know what your talking about

	11. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 20-01-2008 09:44 - Guest
	FEW GOODMEN We don't need to argue and say bad words against each other about who's the great leader and who's not.. Frankly, all those elders, late D. Alonto, R. Lucman, A. Dimaporo were great leaders of their own. They have served our people in anyway or the other. I remember when the late Dimaporo was still the Governor of Lanao Del Sur where me and my cousins can freely go to the other municipalities (by walk) just to play basketball - Masiu, Tamparan, Taraka and Molondo and sometimes Lumbayanague and Butig. We never encounter any troubles and we're not afraid of RIDO, which is rampant everywhere now.. And that peaceful "Kapanalan" is attributed to the peace and order of Lanao Del Sur which was governed by no other than the Late Gov. Ali Dimaporo (Pakasorgaano Allah) and his Mayors in each Municipality. Thus, we should accept however small things that each of those ELDERS have contributed to the people of Lanao Del Sur and Marawi City... Lastly but not the least, those ELDERS of us have honored each other and they regard each one them very much.. so why are we arguing on their achievement? stop it guys and move on...PAKA SORGAAN SIRAN LANGONG O ALLAH - AMEEN... http://www.tasheel.com

	12. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 20-01-2008 10:02 - Guest
	IN ADDITION: Brothers and Sisters: What we have now is the results of our negligence, ignorance, Jealousy, love of this World and so many innovations (leaving the Sunnah of the Prophet). We should not worry about our future in this World, but rather, we should worry about the Life in the Grave, the Day of Judgement and our eternal place (either in Hell or Paradise). This is the real thing that we should be worried about.. how to survive them? If we could just realize this, then we are a successful people both in this World and Hereafter... Let us put a big QUESTION to ourselves - IF I DIE TODAY, what do i Have? can I answer the questions of Nakeer and Munkar in the Grave? can I receive my Book of Records with my right hand? Do I have the answers to Allah's 5 Questions? AM I PREPARED TO LEAVE MY WIFE, CHILDREN, HOUSES, CARS ETC..? Brothers and Sisters, these are the things that we should address every now and then... Jazakumullahu Khair...

	13. Written by the teacher on 21-01-2008 10:26 - Guest
	IN ADDITION: to NABIL:     my friend, Marcos did not kill millions of Muslims, let's not exagerate.     don't be to aggressive, you might end up owning nothing but your wisdom that misleads you...     A teacher teaches in order to convey wisdom. the best thing that we can have in this world, aside from the True faith that we should have to ALLAH, is WISDOM.     Wisdom will teach and lead us to understand and appreciate things around us.     May be you are still young, time will come you will understand.

	14. Written by nabil diator on 21-01-2008 16:39 - Guest
	IN ADDITION: WHAT DO U CALL JABIDAH MASSACRE? IM AN ENGR. AND 67 YEARS OLD. MARCOS MURDERED MY BROTHER 32 YEARS AGO. HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF A TEACHER WHEN YOU DONT KNOW YOUR OWN HISTORY. BAKA NAMAN NAKINABANG PAMILYA NIYO KAY MARCOS?

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