Message For Mindanao Yspeak Souvenir Program

MESSAGE FOR MINDANAO YSPEAK Souvenir Program , Feb 6, Makati It is the Year of the Ox and we in Young Moro Professionals Network EMBRACE all the burden that comes its way! We, who form the core of a network of 200 Moro professionals across the world, are deeply pleased that many of you have considered to PARTNER and ALLY with us in our deeply-felt passion for Mindanao and minority rights. We, second generation Bangsamoro, feel we must aggressively contribute to BUILDING a MORO NARRATIVE so that the world may not forget what our ancestors had fought for, a battle which to this day continues to impede real development in our homeland. But we, Muslims, have built homes alongside you here in the North. We have worked in government and mainstream entities and accepted massive DONOR funding in the ARMM. Isn’t there a MEETING POINT between the INTERESTS of the North and South so the WAR would stop in our Southern homeland? The event, OUR PEACE, YOUR PEACE, A YMPN PRESENTATION, seeks to up the peace antenna by listening to the largest stakeholders - the young, who aim to engage their elders, partners and the outside world in general through media. Yes, we can, we quote Barrack Obama say. To publicize the need for minority and Mindanao voices to be heard, the young are urged the stay motivated and be inspired. The fora reports stem from the engagement of young people firstly in the United States Institute of Peace (USIP)-supported Young Moro Leaders Forum in 2006. Secondly, the Presidential Interfaith Fund and OPAPP-supported Peace building by Muslim Professionals Assemblies. Thirdly, the TAF and KAS-supported Mindanao Young Leaders Parliament (MYLP). The Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) controversy in August 2008 divided the country. WHAT AFTER the MOA-AD was sought to be answered by a network of Young Moro Professionals, who use their own resources, talent, training and skills to uplift the plight of the marginalized Muslim communities in the Philippines. because of their mobility, savviness and technology. What I am mystified about in peace agreements here is that why is public participation negated. Treaty-signing is merely a symbolic act. Real peace is claimed at making basic services for instance available. What we propose is that even at a preparatory phase, communities are involved. Activities include: Formulating a peace agenda Mobilizing a peace constituency Build local capacities During formal negotiations, complementary activities on the ground such as citizen’s consultation, fora and press conferences must be supported. Technical issues on ancestral domain could be consulted from community leaders and the academe. The subject of agreements can be subject of public discussion so that table negotiators can validate their talks. While the TWO key actors in the peace process – GRP and MILF – talk in formal negotiations, the communities must be readied for any prospective peace

talks outcome. SOCIAL PREPARATION is an AVENUE of participation for YMPs who can articulate, organize, and mobilize their constituencies, including hawks (perceived anti-peace individuals), security sector, resistant LGUs, toward supporting the fruits of the negotiations. We thank the OPAPP, Asian Institute of Management-IMSA, the USAID, the Asia Foundation and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung , which all at SHORT NOTICE in hearing us out, unhesitatingly supported our proposal to convene such assemblies. I thank the hard-working project team—YMPN Executive Director Aleem Guiapal (HPAIR, Cambridge, Paper Presenter), AIM-IMSA President Musarrat Sait Ali, Atty. Loren Lao, Atty. Jamel Mamutuk, Jane JaMaDi Dimacisil—for their dedication and professionalism in upping the antenna at AIM. And so we in YMPN CARPE DIEM. We APPEAL to you to join us by being part of the solution to ending one of the longest conflicts in the world. War has to end. One life is worth saving. And real peace should happen in OUR GENERATION. Samira Gutoc YMPN Mindanao