“THE GRP-MILF PEACE AGREEMENT, FEDERALISM AND THE MINDANAO CONFLICT”

What do Muslims think of federalism? Will federalism bring about peace? How can we situate federalism in the context of the impending signing of an agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)? Will it not exacerbate rather than bridge the gap in the distribution of resources? Will it not lead to the ‘Balkanization’ of our already fragmented country? Is the country ready for federalism?

These are some of the questions that will be addressed in the Islam and Democracy Media Forum organized by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (www.pcid.org.ph), with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The forum will be held on August 8, Friday from 8.am. to 11:00 a.m. at Club Filipino’s Centennial Room.

The monthly media roundtable discussions, which started in July 2007, are aimed at providing a venue for the discussion of issues affecting Muslim communities and at the same time allow the media firsthand access to opinion makers, scholars, officials and other personalities deeply involved in Muslim issues.

With the intention of speeding up the economic development of the nation, and addressing the cause of rebellion and the ethnic conflicts in the South, Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. filed a resolution, supported by a dozen administration and opposition senators, calling for a shift to a federal system of government. Sen. Pimentel’s resolution has renewed public debates on whether the country is prepared to go federal.

The perceived failure of autonomy—given through the signing of the 1996 GRP-MNLF Peace Agreement—and continued dissatisfaction of the Moro over the iniquitous distribution of wealth and resources in the country have pushed a good number towards rebellion and calls for independence. Federalism is seen as a reasonable solution—short of independence but more substantive than autonomy—to the Mindanao conflict.