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Saturday, February 18, 2017
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IF WE ARE to learn from our recent history, the all-out wars against insurgents waged by the Estrada, Arroyo and Aquino administrations only led to heightened attacks not only against armed revolutionary forces but also against cultural minorities – against both Moro and indigenous communities. These resulted to gross human rights violations.
In 2000, Estrada’s total war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) displaced almost a million people from Moro communities, according to human rights groups. Arroyo’s three separate wars – the “State of Lawlessness” in Basilan against the Abu Sayyaf Group, the State of Lawless Violence against the MILF in Maguindanao, Lanao and Davao and the all-out war against the MILF in Central Mindanao displaced an estimated 1.2 million. And Aquino’s “all-out justice and offensive” operations against the MILF in Zamboanga and retaliatory war against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Mamasapano, Maguindanao displaced some 140,000 people.
Indigenous communities also suffered the brunt of all-out wars. Under the Duterte administration, to this date, 14 indigenous peoples fell victim, four of them killed even within the period still covered by the reciprocal unilateral ceasefires of the government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines in place.
History proves that all these all-out military campaigns only leads to the loss of too many lives and untold sufferings for the peoples. And only drive people towards further dissent. The real path to genuine peace and social change starts with addressing the roots of the armed conflict. Pursuing genuine agrarian reform, adequate social services, protection of human rights – these are the more concrete steps to finally extinguishing the flames of war.
Resuming the peace talks is the better option to an all-out war. Building on the gains of the third round of talks in Rome, Italy will pave the way to further discuss and arrive at agreements on social and economic reforms to resolve the roots of the armed conflict.
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