BEYOND THE PEACE BEYOND THE PEACE TALKSTALKS

Contribution from Public Consultation Contribution from Public Consultation to Peace Communication to Peace Communication

ALBERT E. ALEJO, SJMindanawon Initiatives for Cultural Dialogue

Ateneo de Zamboanga University

MILF call for sincerityMILF call for sincerity

If the Aquino administration is engaged in If the Aquino administration is engaged in real-problem solving in the negotiation, it is real-problem solving in the negotiation, it is likely to...strike a balance between likely to...strike a balance between transparency through consultation and transparency through consultation and confidentiality, because real, hard, and confidentiality, because real, hard, and successful negotiation especially successful negotiation especially sovereignty-based will not succeed if sovereignty-based will not succeed if everybody is allowed to poke their noses on everybody is allowed to poke their noses on it.”---it.”---MILF: Peace talks may be over in 1 year, depending on gov’t MILF: Peace talks may be over in 1 year, depending on gov’t sinceritysincerity. . GMANews, (October 30, 2010)GMANews, (October 30, 2010)

Peace process, to a very great Peace process, to a very great extent, must be participatoryextent, must be participatory

While we respect the creative confidentiality While we respect the creative confidentiality necessary for any formal negotiation, we necessary for any formal negotiation, we are also duty bound to defend the people’s are also duty bound to defend the people’s right to sufficient information on matters as right to sufficient information on matters as important as the source of their security. important as the source of their security.

……especially Mindanao Peace especially Mindanao Peace

The Mindanao peace process, in particular, is The Mindanao peace process, in particular, is too precious to be left alone to the formal too precious to be left alone to the formal negotiation between the two fighting forces, negotiation between the two fighting forces, even under the watch of foreign facilitators even under the watch of foreign facilitators and observers. We need to heed the visions, and observers. We need to heed the visions, voices, and values of diverse groups, starting voices, and values of diverse groups, starting from the communities who are directly hit by from the communities who are directly hit by conflict and extending to all the rest of the conflict and extending to all the rest of the country whose lives are also at stake. country whose lives are also at stake.

Political Solution, yes…Political Solution, yes…

Yes, there must be political solutions to Yes, there must be political solutions to historically-rooted problems. We should historically-rooted problems. We should have learned by now that no amount of have learned by now that no amount of development projects can resolve deep-development projects can resolve deep-seated issues on identity and self-seated issues on identity and self-determination. determination.

… … but also social cohesion but also social cohesion please!please!

But while it is true that only governments But while it is true that only governments and revolutionary groups may sign peace and revolutionary groups may sign peace agreements, ultimately, it’s the people who agreements, ultimately, it’s the people who have to mend the social fabric, rebuild have to mend the social fabric, rebuild institutions, heal wounds, respect institutions, heal wounds, respect boundaries, and restore friendship. It’s the boundaries, and restore friendship. It’s the people who have to endure or enjoy the people who have to endure or enjoy the consequences both of starting war and consequences both of starting war and stopping it.stopping it.

How do people participate?How do people participate?

People have spoken and continue to People have spoken and continue to speak through various channels. But more speak through various channels. But more especially, we can hear them through especially, we can hear them through various consultations and dialogues various consultations and dialogues initiated by different organizations, from initiated by different organizations, from the religious to the business sectors, from the religious to the business sectors, from academics to artists, from civil society academics to artists, from civil society organizations to traditional religious organizations to traditional religious leaders. leaders.

First, consult them…First, consult them…

““There has been a surfeit of public There has been a surfeit of public consultations post MOA-AD, most notablyconsultations post MOA-AD, most notably Konsult Mindanaw Konsult Mindanaw and and Dialogue Mindanaw.Dialogue Mindanaw. The challenge is to draw the best inputs from The challenge is to draw the best inputs from these consultations, not ‘reinvent the wheel’ on these consultations, not ‘reinvent the wheel’ on this, further consult more purposively and this, further consult more purposively and creatively on what has not yet been covered, creatively on what has not yet been covered, and establish mechanisms for these to and establish mechanisms for these to effectively fork into the actual peace effectively fork into the actual peace negotiations.” negotiations.” ------Sol Santos, Sol Santos, Aquino’s GRP-MILF Peace Talks: Hopes, Aquino’s GRP-MILF Peace Talks: Hopes,

Fears, Tasks (2010)Fears, Tasks (2010)

Then, communicate with them…Then, communicate with them…

Newspapers today carry a lot more views---Newspapers today carry a lot more views---and assertions---on the road to peace in and assertions---on the road to peace in Mindanao . This really calls for the urgent Mindanao . This really calls for the urgent creation of a Communication Team or creation of a Communication Team or Mechanism that will feed the people with Mechanism that will feed the people with more carefully worded information, more carefully worded information, background, and analysis of events, background, and analysis of events, positions, and emotionspositions, and emotions

What do we address?What do we address?

1. EMOTIONS.1. EMOTIONS. People feel hurt, harbor People feel hurt, harbor mistrust, but could also be hopeful. And mistrust, but could also be hopeful. And these emotions could vary from personal these emotions could vary from personal experiences to regional or sectoral experiences to regional or sectoral differences. We cannot equate one differences. We cannot equate one emotion with one whole ethnic or regional emotion with one whole ethnic or regional block. Communication Program must block. Communication Program must make people feel that their feelings are make people feel that their feelings are being acknowledged. being acknowledged.

2. IDEAS2. IDEAS. Many people still do not . Many people still do not understand the difference between MNLF understand the difference between MNLF and MILF; but some other people are and MILF; but some other people are already asking about foreign intervention already asking about foreign intervention in the peace process. We cannot in the peace process. We cannot presuppose that what is familiar to active presuppose that what is familiar to active CSOs or academe are clear to the people. CSOs or academe are clear to the people. Or whether what is clear to the people is Or whether what is clear to the people is actually accurate. actually accurate.

Call for SincerityCall for Sincerity

(a)(a) Both panels are sincere. Both panels are sincere. First, we need First, we need to tell the people that the two panels have to tell the people that the two panels have actually agreed on a number of good actually agreed on a number of good things. It is not true that the talks are not things. It is not true that the talks are not going anywhere. The two peace panels, going anywhere. The two peace panels, for example, have agreed on measures for example, have agreed on measures cessation of hostilities, rehabilitation, and cessation of hostilities, rehabilitation, and even on the non-use of landmines. And it even on the non-use of landmines. And it is good for people to know this. is good for people to know this.

(b) There are really difficult issues.(b) There are really difficult issues. Try to Try to explain the validity of many positions and explain the validity of many positions and interests, thus helping people understand interests, thus helping people understand why these things are not as easily why these things are not as easily resolved. During our consultations and resolved. During our consultations and dialogues, we realize how appreciative dialogues, we realize how appreciative people could be once they themselves see people could be once they themselves see the difficulty of finding readymade the difficulty of finding readymade solutions to deep-seated problems.solutions to deep-seated problems.

(c) Create a channel for feedback. (c) Create a channel for feedback. The The Communications Program must also offer a Communications Program must also offer a clear channel for people to express their clear channel for people to express their updated sentiments: could be in the form of updated sentiments: could be in the form of an office with email, fax, fone number, twitter, an office with email, fax, fone number, twitter, facebook, forums, etc. In the mean time, other facebook, forums, etc. In the mean time, other forms of sincerity must be felt by the people, forms of sincerity must be felt by the people, e.g. real effort to confiscate loose firearms, e.g. real effort to confiscate loose firearms, arrest war profiteers, and security cluster arrest war profiteers, and security cluster reform. reform.

(d) There must be a “face”(d) There must be a “face” that represents that represents all these sincere efforts. By “face” is meant all these sincere efforts. By “face” is meant a real person or a small group of persons, a real person or a small group of persons, who embody and exudes the sincerity of who embody and exudes the sincerity of the main peace stakeholders, especially the main peace stakeholders, especially the government. The members of the the government. The members of the peace panel must be known to the people, peace panel must be known to the people, but, the political task of facing the public but, the political task of facing the public may be done by more charismatic may be done by more charismatic personalities.personalities.

Don’t exclude the people!Don’t exclude the people!

 “ “Even the best efforts of government Even the best efforts of government leaders constantly face constraints and leaders constantly face constraints and limitations. It may be that if people own the limitations. It may be that if people own the process, they will work hard to ensure process, they will work hard to ensure viable outcomes and overcome the viable outcomes and overcome the inevitable obstacles that arise once the inevitable obstacles that arise once the agreement is in place. agreement is in place. 2)2)

……The earlier we engage in the task of The earlier we engage in the task of building the social infrastructure of peace, building the social infrastructure of peace, the sooner societies will come closer to the sooner societies will come closer to another reality where the dignity of another reality where the dignity of difference is celebrated, political tolerance difference is celebrated, political tolerance observed and a just peace becomes observed and a just peace becomes possiblepossible.” .” ---Ed Garcia, ---Ed Garcia, Accord. Owning the Accord. Owning the Process: Public Participation in PeacemakingProcess: Public Participation in Peacemaking (200 (200

People will judge the process…People will judge the process…

““The last thing we want is to have an The last thing we want is to have an excellent draft of a peace agreement, only excellent draft of a peace agreement, only to be rejected by the people, simply to be rejected by the people, simply because we failed to communicate with because we failed to communicate with them.”-them.”--- Sen. Teofisto Guingona, III. -- Sen. Teofisto Guingona, III. Mindanao Media Summit (November 7, Mindanao Media Summit (November 7, 2010)2010)

At the end of the day…At the end of the day…““While governments and revolutionary groups While governments and revolutionary groups

may sign peace agreements, ultimately, it’s may sign peace agreements, ultimately, it’s the people who have the burden---and the the people who have the burden---and the joy---of rebuilding schools and houses, re-joy---of rebuilding schools and houses, re-trusting institutions, welcoming ex-trusting institutions, welcoming ex-combatants, looking for new breed of combatants, looking for new breed of leaders, nourishing the environment, leaders, nourishing the environment, energizing tired bodies, bridging gaps energizing tired bodies, bridging gaps across mindsets, healing painful memories, across mindsets, healing painful memories, and appeasing the spirits of the land.” and appeasing the spirits of the land.”

BEYOND THE PEACE BEYOND THE PEACE TALKSTALKS

Contribution from Public Consultation Contribution from Public Consultation to Peace Communication to Peace Communication

ALBERT E. ALEJO, SJMindanawon Initiatives for Cultural Dialogue

Ateneo de Zamboanga University