The ideas of "Moro nation" and "self-determination" have moved so many amongst us that despite of all the setbacks continue to build our future around it. The belief that only through "armed struggle" can we (single-handedly) achieved nationhood or self-determination has mobilized thousands of our own people to forsake the otherwise settled life for life in the jungle. For these words, blood has been shed and life sacrificed.
The idea of "rido" (vendetta) has given the us the excuse to seek revenge for generations. It has become more powerful than the preferred Qur'anic option for forgiveness. It has also misused the Islamic concept of biy'at (blood money) to stop retribution.
The "conspiracy theory" that people other than Muslims are out to destroy our faith and our way of life has hindered us to practice the Islamic teachings of rapproachement, mutual respect and co-existence, tolerance and shared futures; and gave birth to the "siege" and "win-lose" mentality.
The idea that our future is in the past has deter us from moving forward and reason enough to accept change is inevitable. We want to change our present. But our preferred change is to move backward to live a life of our oldies, not the life for our next generation. This idea got us stacked in history and to re-writing our past based on our preferred outcome rather than accepting historical facts.
This is a battle of ideas, not of guns and goons. In the time of the Old Egyptians, Greeks and the Romans, the gods and goddesses reign supreme while the belief in one supreme being was a heresy. The most powerful force in the world is not an advanced or sophisticated army, but an idea that can change how we see things and ought to be.
An idea can only be truly powerful, positive or otherwise, in the hands of someone who have the foresight to see change through this idea, the hindsight to learn from its misuse and the insight that change is inevitable.
Showing posts with label Self-determination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self-determination. Show all posts
True victory
We can’t win support
through our angst,
by excluding others
or by dividing ourselves;
Be calm,
reason with confidence,
be inclusive of others and
let us unite in purpose
even if we differ in our pursuits.
through our angst,
by excluding others
or by dividing ourselves;
Be calm,
reason with confidence,
be inclusive of others and
let us unite in purpose
even if we differ in our pursuits.
Why go for independence?
We want to govern ourselves, we want to better our lot, we want distinct ethnic, linguistic and religious identities to benchmark our governance and future?
What is fuzzy about this rhetoric is why we are arguing for these when we do have and can do these now:
Because we fail to comprehend what we truly need (not want) as a people, we fail to chart what future to pursue.
Because our shared future is scattered, we are in a quagmire, embolden by angst, exclusion, division and violence against our own.
We WANT independence. This is the PROBLEM. We don’t NEED it.
A WANT is something we can LIVE WITHOUT. A NEED is FOR SURVIVAL.
We can live without independence. We don’t need it to survive.
To survive, we need something other than independence.
Other, non-traditional rhetoric and beyond angst to convince people to support independence.
Rhetoric for independence can start with historical grievances and current dire situation. To move more people, you need rhetoric about the future – logical, sensible so as to appeal to the mind, empathic so as to appeal to the heart, urgent so as to move to action.
Rhetoric for independence based on past glories will be short-lived. Once the incompetence of past rulers and their extravagant lives come to fore, the support shall have dwindled to half.
Rhetoric for independence that argues for a future as a copycat of the past will hold little water. Past governance is ripe with lessons on positive shift of governance from indigenous (raja-system) to an imported (sultanate) system, acceptance of outside leadership (Shariful Hashim, Amirul Umara), territorial expansion (from Buansa outward), political concessions and compromises (Sabah to British, Zamboanga and Siasi to Spaniards, Basilan to French, Bongao to Germans), and ultimately to American Rule (Bates treaty, Dansalan Declaration).
Therefore, to believe in a fixed past and to stay in the past set-up is a betrayal of the observable evolution of governance in a progressive manner. No nation has remain fixed, everyone evolved.
Rhetoric for independence based on current dire situation will hold water for a time. Who do not want to govern themselves? Who do not want to improve their lot? Who do not want their future define by their distinct identity?
However, we do have some semblance of what the future will be today.
We are already governing ourselves in our barangays, municipalities, districts, provinces and region.
We have access to different sources of funds to improve our lives.
We are already enjoying Islamic aspects in our daily lives – birth, marriage, wealth distribution, madrasah, halal food are just some of these. We can further explore and advocate Islam to benchmark our governance.
Therefore, the rhetoric for independence should build trust and confidence that governance will different than today or even better. The future requires detailed articulation as if it is already in place.
Independence is not just being free from colonial rule (There will be neo-colonials to face).
What use is being free when your stomach is empty? When we continue living in dire situation, unsecured.
In the end, independence is about human security and development. It is not a panacea for all the problems. This is a farce. It is the last option for development.
Pre-occupation with independence have deter many amongst us from seizing other opportunity presenting itself at our doorstep.
We are so focused on looking at the horizon that we fail to appreciate what is at hand.
We have foregone what we have today for idealism so remote and removed from reality; I pray our angst and our hope is not wasted into the abyss.
What is fuzzy about this rhetoric is why we are arguing for these when we do have and can do these now:
- We are already governing ourselves in our barangays, municipalities, districts, provinces and region.
- We have access to different sources of funds to improve our lives.
- We are already enjoying Islamic aspects in our daily lives – birth, marriage, wealth distribution, madrasah, halal food are just some of these. We can further explore and advocate Islam to benchmark our governance.
Because we fail to comprehend what we truly need (not want) as a people, we fail to chart what future to pursue.
Because our shared future is scattered, we are in a quagmire, embolden by angst, exclusion, division and violence against our own.
We WANT independence. This is the PROBLEM. We don’t NEED it.
A WANT is something we can LIVE WITHOUT. A NEED is FOR SURVIVAL.
We can live without independence. We don’t need it to survive.
To survive, we need something other than independence.
Other, non-traditional rhetoric and beyond angst to convince people to support independence.
Rhetoric for independence can start with historical grievances and current dire situation. To move more people, you need rhetoric about the future – logical, sensible so as to appeal to the mind, empathic so as to appeal to the heart, urgent so as to move to action.
Rhetoric for independence based on past glories will be short-lived. Once the incompetence of past rulers and their extravagant lives come to fore, the support shall have dwindled to half.
Rhetoric for independence that argues for a future as a copycat of the past will hold little water. Past governance is ripe with lessons on positive shift of governance from indigenous (raja-system) to an imported (sultanate) system, acceptance of outside leadership (Shariful Hashim, Amirul Umara), territorial expansion (from Buansa outward), political concessions and compromises (Sabah to British, Zamboanga and Siasi to Spaniards, Basilan to French, Bongao to Germans), and ultimately to American Rule (Bates treaty, Dansalan Declaration).
Therefore, to believe in a fixed past and to stay in the past set-up is a betrayal of the observable evolution of governance in a progressive manner. No nation has remain fixed, everyone evolved.
Rhetoric for independence based on current dire situation will hold water for a time. Who do not want to govern themselves? Who do not want to improve their lot? Who do not want their future define by their distinct identity?
However, we do have some semblance of what the future will be today.
We are already governing ourselves in our barangays, municipalities, districts, provinces and region.
We have access to different sources of funds to improve our lives.
We are already enjoying Islamic aspects in our daily lives – birth, marriage, wealth distribution, madrasah, halal food are just some of these. We can further explore and advocate Islam to benchmark our governance.
Therefore, the rhetoric for independence should build trust and confidence that governance will different than today or even better. The future requires detailed articulation as if it is already in place.
Independence is not just being free from colonial rule (There will be neo-colonials to face).
What use is being free when your stomach is empty? When we continue living in dire situation, unsecured.
In the end, independence is about human security and development. It is not a panacea for all the problems. This is a farce. It is the last option for development.
Pre-occupation with independence have deter many amongst us from seizing other opportunity presenting itself at our doorstep.
We are so focused on looking at the horizon that we fail to appreciate what is at hand.
We have foregone what we have today for idealism so remote and removed from reality; I pray our angst and our hope is not wasted into the abyss.
After independence day
Okay, I also imagine to see and yearn to wake up to a day after Moro independence. We've believed the liberation movement this far. The celebration was a blast - we were euphoric and with smile on our face.
The following day, the people are asking - How's the spoil of independence be divided equitably among the 13 ethno-linguistic groups?
The following day, the people are asking - How's the spoil of independence be divided equitably among the 13 ethno-linguistic groups?
- What political system are we going to pursue? Republican or monarchy? What will be the political structure - presidential or parliamentary? Where will the royalists fit in? The religious, the liberals, the conservatives, etc? What to do with the traditional and the old political elites?
- How are we going to govern our areas? Create new divisions and alliances or continue the ethnic divide?
- What legal system to adopt? What degree of Common Law and the Shari'ah will be adopted and excluded? How do we structure our justice system?
- How do we settle the age old quarrel among the traditional ownership, Regalian and the Torren systems?
- What will be the feature of our economic system? How do we pay for the government bureaucracy and where are we going to source funds to support delivery of social services? Our banking system? Trading with our neighbors? How do we pursue agricultural development in the country?
- How do we organize the socialization of these diverse 13 ethno-linguistic groups? Communication is important and language plays a big role. What will be our 'national language'? how about our national identity - what is it - Muslim, Moro, ethnic identities?
- How do we educate our Moro kids? What will be included and excluded in the national curriculum?
- How about our armed forces? The police?
- How do we frame and what will be our foreign policy - diplomacy, security and aid?
- How do we pay for all these expenditures and investments?
Yes, this much to think about. This is why the purveyors of the liberation movement have to prepare for all of these now. Engage the people in public discussion to be able to frame policies toward this ends. Prepare a core pool of bureaucrats and technocrats.
Preparation comes not after, but before the facts. If not, it is tough battle to convince people with just empty rhetoric.
Preparation comes not after, but before the facts. If not, it is tough battle to convince people with just empty rhetoric.
Tangible and intangible, individual and social levels
Independence is a lofty idealism. It is inherent to every Moro to enjoy it. It is the right of indigenous people to determine their own political future. The contemporary nation-state phenomenon is not an excuse to deny the indigenous peoples their inalienable right.
It is also the inalienable rights of all Moros, past, present and future. Therefore, the fight for independence is an inter-generational effort; certainly, not of the few and the present. The exercise of such right comes with a degree of responsibility. Every Moro, male and female, have the responsibility to discipline and motive themselves and to align their personal goals within with the collective future of all Moros.
It is also the inalienable rights of all Moros, past, present and future. Therefore, the fight for independence is an inter-generational effort; certainly, not of the few and the present. The exercise of such right comes with a degree of responsibility. Every Moro, male and female, have the responsibility to discipline and motive themselves and to align their personal goals within with the collective future of all Moros.
To achieve it we don't just do it; more importantly, we prepare for it. Independence it not a unilateral decision of the few and the present. We should not forget that the road to hell is paved with good intents. So collective effort and inclusive thinking are fundamentals to hasten this idealism.
The very reason why we have oral tradition is to keep the fire and passion for independence in the hearts of all Moros. The reason why it is not written is because Moro independence doesn't belong to the four walls of libraries and museums. Independence is not just rhetorics of past glories and angst over historical and current disadvantage; more importantly, it requires preparation. Such preparation consists of tangible and intangible elements, at the individual and social levels.
The very reason why we have oral tradition is to keep the fire and passion for independence in the hearts of all Moros. The reason why it is not written is because Moro independence doesn't belong to the four walls of libraries and museums. Independence is not just rhetorics of past glories and angst over historical and current disadvantage; more importantly, it requires preparation. Such preparation consists of tangible and intangible elements, at the individual and social levels.
Tangible element is about institutions and structures that make up the running of the government; the intangible element is about the systems and processes that will make governance responsive to the needs of the Moro communities. A more important intangible element is building social and cultural fabric of the Moro communities.
Our collective independence is far down the aisle. Meantime, we can practice a sense of 'independent state' at personal and social levels. An 'independent state' at these levels is a practice of self- and social discipline and responsible citizenship. There is no shortcut, but we can transition fast and early.
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