BANGSAMORO officials with representatives of international donor agencies during a February 2020 forum in Cotabato City for a discussion on continuing support to the region’s peace initiatives and transition process. — OPAPRU

THE PEACE process in the Bangsamoro, a Muslim-majority region in southern Philippines where rebel groups fought for autonomy for decades, was facilitated and continues to be assisted by the international community, the Presidential peace adviser’s office said on Monday in response to a statement by the Chinese ambassador relating to Taiwan independence.   

“We took note about the statement of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian comparing the internal tension in China with Taiwan to the Mindanao peace process,” the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said in a statement.   

Mr. Huang, in a speech at a forum in Manila on Friday, said, “The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair, as is the Mindanao issue to the Philippines. You will never allow any third party to meddle with resolving rebel issues in Mindanao.”  

OPAPRU took exception to this, saying, “The success of the Mindanao peace process has a vibrant support from the stakeholders as well as the international community.”   

Peace negotiations and the resulting development of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao involves member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union and its member nations as separate entities, Australia, Japan, the United States, United Nations agencies, and various international non-government groups, among others.    

“The Bangsamoro peace process ever since has been facilitated by a third-party country to ensure fairness and maintain the integrity of the peace negotiations,” OPAPRU said.   

“Now in its implementation phase, the role of the international community in the southern peace process is very crucial to help deliver the peace dividends.”  

OPAPRU said “countries with similar situations such as ours” can use the Bangsamoro model “in resolving conflicts peacefully and not resort to unnecessary threat of force, intimidation, and/or violence.”  

The new Bangsamoro region, set up in 2019 and under a governance transition phase until 2025, has political and fiscal autonomy from the National Government based on Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Basic Law. — Marifi S. Jara

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