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Bantay Ceasefire volunteers join bike for peace to Upi

Cotabato City, May 31 – Members of the Bantay Ceasefire volunteers, grassroots monitors of the Mindanao Peoples Caucus, joined the 36-kilometer ride “Bike for Peace” from Cotabato City to Nuro, North Upi last May 29, 2011 sponsored by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The first ever Bike for Peace outside Manila aims to create an event that will mobilize news makers to get involved in the peace process. An event that will inspire the Filipino people and show them that what may seem to be improbable is possible. This is to relate to all stakeholders on the ground that there is an ongoing talks and the government is really sincere to have politically negotiated settlement with the MILF.

The unwavering bikers took off courageously early in the cloudy morning from the Cotabato City hall at Malagapas. Cold wind of the morning contributed much as the persistent bikers pedaled their bikes. The toilsome and crooked road were not even an obstacle for them to reach the finish line. Along their way, there were six pit stops such as the Tenorio Public School, CAFGU Detachment, Datu Andong Public School, Katiguesen Public School, Kibleg Upi Shariff School, Upi Agricultural School and Upi Municipal Gymnasium as the finish line where plenty of bananas, mineral waters and some energy drinks were offered to avoid severe dehydration.

At the gymnasium, everyone was inspired by the warm acceptance of the people of Upi. In his speech, Dean Marvic Leonen quoted as saying his analogy in the ongoing peace talks: “Peace negotiation is not easy, like biking which you need preparation first. You must have perseverance, endurance and strong determination to reach your aim the finish line as your goal (final agreement).

In an interview with Wendell Orbeso, a Peace Program Officer-5 of the GPH Peace Panel Secretariat for the talks with MILF said this is the first time Bike for Peace outside Manila and he described the event as very successful. “Ang sarap ng feeling eh na parang makita mo yung enthusiasm ng mga bikers na matapos. All and all it exceeds our expectations. As what I have mentioned, 490 bikers have confirmed the night before but more than 600 bikers participated” he said.

Mahmod M. Tulino, MPC Bantay Ceasefire Provincial Coordinator of Maguindanao, told in an interview that the event was good. It strengthens everyone and serves as an awareness as well. “Ito ay isang pamamaraan para makumbinse ang mga tao sa paligid na tumulong sa pagsulong ng peace process para maiwasan ang nangyari sa MOA-AD” he disclosed.  “Kumbaga sa nakita nila na maraming sumali, yung matigas ang puso ay seguradong lalambot at makisali na sa pagpasulong ng usaping pangkapayapaan” he added.  He observed the full support of the government forces in the event with several troops posted along the highway from Cotabato City until Upi to assure the security of the participating individuals.

An estimate of 600 bikers and motorcyclists excluding those in the vehicles and civil society organizations participated in the said event. Among the list were: Government Peace Negotiating Panel for Talks with the MILF (GPNP-MILF) headed by Dean Marvic Leonen; Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) headed by Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles; International Monitoring Team (IMT-6), headed by MGen. Datok Mahdi bin Yusof; IMT-HoM, Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) under the leadership of GPH-CCCH Chairman BGen. Ariel B. Bernardo; AFP Peace Process Office (AFP-PPO) under Col. Dickson Hermoso -AFP-PPO Head; Malaysian Embassy (Davao Consulate) headed by Consul General Mohammad Azhar Mazlan; Mr. Ednar G. Dayanghirang form the Government Peace Negotiating Panel for the talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF (GPNP-CNN); Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP); Initiative for International Dialogue (IID) with 4 bikers, 5 from Upi Bikers; PNP-Civil Security Group (PNP-CSG) with 8 bikers, EastMinCom under Lt. Gen. Arthur Tabaquero-Commander, EASTMINCOM, with 54 bikers; 6th Infantry Division (6ID) with 82 bikers; Cotabato Off-Road Enthusiast (CORE) with 300 bikers; Karancho who served as marshalls with 52 motorcyclist; 9 motorcyclists form MPC Bantay Ceasefire, and many more.

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Ceasefire Campaign

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One of the major accomplishments of MPC during this dark period of the peace process is its leading role in the national campaign for a ceasefire in Mindanao which galvanized massive support from the church, academe, business, and the war-affected communities themselves.  While this achievement is of course attributable to so many interlocking efforts, MPC has been at the forefront of the campaigns from the grassroots to the halls of Malacanang to appeal for a ceasefire and bring national attention to the humanitarian crisis in Central Mindanao.  After 17 months of open-armed hostilities which displaced over 600,000 people, Mindanao has finally reverted to a ceasefire, with the International Monitoring Team back in Mindanao.

In November 2009, the Bantay Ceasefire Assembly was convened in Marawi City.  The assembly succeeded in launching the new thrust of Bantay Ceasefire which is on Humanitarian Protection.  Dubbed as “Sagip Sibilyan”, Bantay Ceasefire’s work will now focus in alleviating the suffering of the civilians who are caught in the conflict through a programmatic humanitarian protection work.  This will cover work on early warning, disaster response and promotion of human rights.  This will also include providing legal services or referral of cases involving violations of human rights and war crimes in order to break the impunity for these abuses.  This will not however mean that BC will no longer conduct its regular monitoring of the ceasefire agreement.

There are clearly good lessons that can be drawn from the MOA-AD experience which can shed light on how to move forward.  The key here is that civil society and peace advocates recognize, accept and learn from those lessons.

One lesson that MPC offers is that peace education and peacebuilding efforts fell short in educating our communities, schools, families, and the public at large on the root causes of the armed conflict in Mindanao which include the legitimate claim of the Bangsamoro and indigenous peoples to their ancestral domain.  The peace movement in general, and that includes MPC, has failed to raise the awareness of ordinary Mindanaoans on the historical background of the conflict and why we should all work for the finding of a just and mutually acceptable political solution to the problem.  The peace movement cannot simply afford to be an onlooker to this lingering armed conflict.

In November 2009, the Bantay Ceasefire Assembly was convened in Marawi City.  The assembly succeeded in launching the new thrust of Bantay Ceasefire which is on Humanitarian Protection.  Dubbed as “Sagip Sibilyan”, Bantay Ceasefire’s work will now focus in alleviating the suffering of the civilians who are caught in the conflict through a programmatic humanitarian protection work.  This will cover work on early warning, disaster response and promotion of human rights.  This will also include providing legal services or referral of cases involving violations of human rights and war crimes in order to break the impunity for these abuses.  This will not however mean that BC will no longer conduct its regular monitoring of the ceasefire agreement.

There are clearly good lessons that can be drawn from the MOA-AD experience which can shed light on how to move forward.  The key here is that civil society and peace advocates recognize, accept and learn from those lessons.

One lesson that MPC offers is that peace education and peacebuilding efforts fell short in educating our communities, schools, families, and the public at large on the root causes of the armed conflict in Mindanao which include the legitimate claim of the Bangsamoro and indigenous peoples to their ancestral domain.  The peace movement in general, and that includes MPC, has failed to raise the awareness of ordinary Mindanaoans on the historical background of the conflict and why we should all work for the finding of a just and mutually acceptable political solution to the problem.  The peace movement cannot simply afford to be an onlooker to this lingering armed conflict.