GROUP leaders of Indigenous People (IP) expressed their concerns before members of the Government of the Philippines peace panel in a round table discussion held at Pinaccle Hotel last Wednesday, September 28.
The concerns that were raised were self-determination, owning their own ancestral domains, and the rapid militarization in different areas in hinterlands.
Chair of Pasaka Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao, Kerlan Fanagel suggested that in the course of tackling the Comprehensive Agreement in Socio-Economic Reforms, the agenda of IPs should be prioritized.
"The Indigenous People's Rights Act of 1997 must be dropped and Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles should be reviewed," Fanagel said, adding such laws are causing division among Lumads.
He added the Comprehensive Agreement in Respect of Rights and International Humanitarian Law should be properly implemented as human rights violations against lumads are still rampant.
Chair of the governing council of Lumad Mindanaw People's Federation Jimid Mansayagan called for the panel to institute the demarcation of the territories of 33 different tribes of Mindanao.
"Our territory is a cradle of our culture. Do you believe that the ancestral domain that is divested from us is ours? The ancestral domain is for our future generations, we are just security guards," Mansayagan said.
He said the demarcation of 33 tribes, separated by its own history, territory, and sovereign in own, and owning and having their own language, militarization should be addressed, as it becomes soon a problem which cannot be easily solved.
Mansayagan added he believed that their suggestions may help as he also believed that peace is not a start but a result of understanding.
Member of the peace panel lawyer Antonio Arellano, who is also present in the roundtable discussion, assured the IPs that those who were in the panel are pushing to address the plea of the IPs.
"Alam namin ang problema but ang solusyon hindi magawa ng tama. Ang problem kasi kawalan ng political power," Arellano said.
He added the administration of President Duterte is doing its best efforts to address the problems, and they as part of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on peace process were focused on negotiating with armed groups, which clash with the government.
"Our goal is to put an end to war, so that all the programs will be effectively implemented," he said.
Arellano also said the challenge now between their conversations with other groups is how to see problems in the same perspective.
In pushing the bilateral ceasefire, Arellano said that both sides cannot yet point out violations as these have yet to be identified in the second round of talks.
He said that ceasefire would be a good start of negotiations, which in turn could lead to success of the Caser, cessation of hostilities, tagged by Arellano as "peace-making" moves.
Arellano added such development will pave way for the proper implementation of the final peace agreement that is eyed to be done in the next few years.