Inclusive Bangsamoro
Afew weeks after the passage of the law on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), followed by appointments of Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) members, I managed to get in touch with recognized true-blue Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) personalities to discuss their next move.
In conversation with names held in confidence, they repeated previous public pronouncements on a possible meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte. “We are just waiting for the President. We are looking forward to federalism, as what the President assured us”.
I posed certain queries for the individuals to consider, by phone or text. “Are you optimistic that federalism will push ahead in the remaining term of this administration? And the plan to establish two Bangsamoro federal states, one for land and the other, sea based (Bangsa Sug)? The answer: “This is why we need to meet and talk to the president. Brother Nur (Misuari) is looking forward to such a meeting”.
My next batch of questions followed, “Do you think under the present set-up, with MILF-dominated BARMM, they would welcome the diminution of their power? The splitting of present territories? Of appropriations and budget? Of natural (land, mineral, sea, gas, oil, etc.) resources?”. In short, “Will the MILF support the creation of a second “Bangsa”?
The unspoken question is: Will Putra Jaya agree to the aforementioned scheme, in the first place? A second bangsa, to accommodate Nur Misuari’s MNLF? Where the political breeze of Putra Jaya blows, is sadly where the MILF takes its breath. Past statements by Chairman Nur have derided Malaysia for illegally occupying Sabah, painting them as “neo-colonialists.” Obviously, Malaysian national security and defense would not want a “threat” for a neighbor. Bangsamoro for whom?