RESOLUTION OF THE RANAW BANGSAMORO CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES (GRP) TO HASTEN THE SIGNING OF THE MUTUALLY APPROVED MEMORANDOM OF AGREEMENT ON ANCESTRAL DOMAIN (MOA-AD); TO IMPLEMENT ALL LEGAL COMMITMENTS OF THE GRP TO THE BANGSAMORO AND TO RE-SCHEDULE THE ARMM ELECTION AS OVERWHELMINGLY NECESSARY, PRACTICABLE AND BENEFICIAL TOWARDS SUSTAINING THE MOMENTUM GAINED IN THE PEACE PROCESS.

 

 

WHEREAS, During the Bangsamoro Civil Society-Lanao Provincial Consultations with the theme “The Bangsamoro CSO Making Impact on the Peace Process and Beyond: Towards the Birthing a New Reality” held on July 28-29, 2008 at the Noramis Convention Hall, Marawi City, the participating CSO leaders and representatives, after due deliberation, reached the consensus to create the RANAW BANGSAMORO CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION  in order to pursue all the identified activities and programs in defining and promoting the role of civil society organization in support of the national peace building efforts and the genuine exercise of the Bangsamoro Right to Self-Determination.

 

WHEREAS, We recognize the vast impact of the resumption of the peace negotiation between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as an invaluable strategic achievement of the peace process specially that the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, a core aspiration of the Bangsamoro, has been mutually approved and subject merely to a ceremonial final signing;

 

WHEREAS, We are actually conscious of the fact that the conduct of the ARMM elections, at this particular point in time, puts the gains of the peace process under an unnecessary “suspension mode” that can be construed as unwillingness or insincerity to give peace a chance ands spoiling act that promotes the resumption of hostilities;

 

WHEREAS, It is a truism that in all confrontation and peace negotiations between the GRP and the Bangsamoro Revolutionary fronts, including the continued activities of various peace spoilers with vested interests, it is the peace, security and well-being of the civil populace that is sacrificed and/or that hangs in the balance, i.e. destruction of lives, properties and source of sustenance in times of war;

 

WHEREAS, We deem it as the most urgent and wisest move of all parties sincere to the peace process, to reschedule the forthcoming ARMM elections until and after the establishment of the redefined Bangsamoro territory in order to enable all citizens to participate, as is their right, in all political exercises in the new autonomous region of the Bangsamoro;

 

WHEREAS, The welfare of the people is the supreme law of the land and it is now the clamor of the great majority of Bangsamoro masses that the momentum gained in the current peace process graduates to a satisfactory Negotiable Political Settlement, and that all processes that run counter to it, like the conduct of the forthcoming elections, be deferred to their appropriate times;

 

WHEREFORE, premises considered, the representatives of CSO organizations and members of the RANAW BM-CSO hereby resolves, as it is hereby resolved, to declare the following, to wit:

 

1.      We congratulate the parties in the negotiation table and most notably , Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for successfully elevating the peace talks into discussions on one of the core issues of the conflict, that of Ancestral Domain.

 

2.      We express deepest appreciation for the initial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, viewing it is a proof of sincerity, especially the call of Her Excellency  for re – scheduling of the ARMM elections which we deem as necessary to sustain  the momentum of the peace process towards a final peace agreement , to avert the threat of renewed hostilities and to enable all citizens of the final territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region to participate in the electoral process.

 

3.      We respectfully urge Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to hasten the immediate signing of the Memorandum of Agreement of Ancestral Domain, its implementation as well as the implementation as well as the implementation of all previous legal commitment of the GRP to the Bangsamoro.

 

4.      We call on the venerable members of the House of Congress and the House of Senate to exercise, practicability and benefits of rescheduling the ARMM elections with particular consideration of the grievous perception of the Bangsamoro that the conduct of elections at this point in time is another imposition with which to insidiously destroy and dismantle the gains of the peace process in the convenient guise of safeguarding  the exercise of the right of suffrage of the Bangsamoro people even at the cost of their security from destructive war.

 

5.      We express deep gratitude to the Honorable members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) for the vigilant to the peace process.

 

RESOLVED FINALLY that copies of this resolution be furnished to Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Malacanang Palace, Manila, to venerable leaders of both the upper and lower chambers of the Philippine Congress, to the Honorable members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and to the leaders of the Bangsamoro Revolutionary Fronts as well as the board populace of the Bangsamoro.

 

ADOPTED this 29^th day of July, 2008 in Marawi City ,    Philippines .