Editorial posted to the MILF Website (Aug 23): Need for Public Engagement
The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) has always wanted the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to commence as soon as it was constituted last March, but the main hindrance has been the inability of the government and MILF to finish the four annexes so that they would finally sign the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA).
The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) has always wanted the drafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to commence as soon as it was constituted last March, but the main hindrance has been the inability of the government and MILF to finish the four annexes so that they would finally sign the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA).
We are not pointing to the government as the main source of the delay, because finger-pointing or the blame game sometimes does not help. It only invites remorse from the other party. Besides, it does not change the situation at all. It is better for both parties to engage in soul-searching, as a form of discernment, to better their acts together next time.
Clearly, a very important activity related to the writing of the BBL, in fact, an indispensable part, is engaging the people in a dialogue. They must be engaged in the writing of the BBL for at least three important reasons: 1) Members of the BTC never assume that they have the monopoly of good ideas; sometimes, the best ideas come from the ranks of the people; 2) Engaging the people is a formula to let them feel their importance and participation, hence, their ownership of the BBL is the desired consequence; and 3) This is an effective mechanism to manage hopes and expectations, as well as fears and anxieties of people especially those least informed.
A dialogue is an effective form of communication. When there is communication, bridges of understanding are created between and amongst people that lead to cooperation. When there is cooperation, even the difficult undertaking becomes easy.
But a well-meaning engagement cannot start unless all the four annexes or the CPA is signed.A piecemeal approach, as what is being currently done, has many loose ends. Much as it likes, without the entire agreement, the BTC can do only very little. The danger with this approach lies in its tentativeness. This creates false impression that the peace process is moving.
This is the reason that the MILF wanted to sign at least one of the two remaining annexes, say, power-sharing, during the 39th GPH-MILF Exploratory Talks that started yesterday (August 22) in Kuala Lumpur. To the MILF, this annex has lesser contentious portions, in contrast to wealth-sharing, that can be overcome by the parties without exceptional exertions. But negotiation is one human undertaking that one or the other has veto power over the other party. Decision can only happen if the two parties agree. This we fully understand and accept as given in a negotiation.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/editorial/item/518-need-for-public-engagement
Clearly, a very important activity related to the writing of the BBL, in fact, an indispensable part, is engaging the people in a dialogue. They must be engaged in the writing of the BBL for at least three important reasons: 1) Members of the BTC never assume that they have the monopoly of good ideas; sometimes, the best ideas come from the ranks of the people; 2) Engaging the people is a formula to let them feel their importance and participation, hence, their ownership of the BBL is the desired consequence; and 3) This is an effective mechanism to manage hopes and expectations, as well as fears and anxieties of people especially those least informed.
A dialogue is an effective form of communication. When there is communication, bridges of understanding are created between and amongst people that lead to cooperation. When there is cooperation, even the difficult undertaking becomes easy.
But a well-meaning engagement cannot start unless all the four annexes or the CPA is signed.A piecemeal approach, as what is being currently done, has many loose ends. Much as it likes, without the entire agreement, the BTC can do only very little. The danger with this approach lies in its tentativeness. This creates false impression that the peace process is moving.
This is the reason that the MILF wanted to sign at least one of the two remaining annexes, say, power-sharing, during the 39th GPH-MILF Exploratory Talks that started yesterday (August 22) in Kuala Lumpur. To the MILF, this annex has lesser contentious portions, in contrast to wealth-sharing, that can be overcome by the parties without exceptional exertions. But negotiation is one human undertaking that one or the other has veto power over the other party. Decision can only happen if the two parties agree. This we fully understand and accept as given in a negotiation.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/editorial/item/518-need-for-public-engagement