Konsult Mindanaw, a team from Mindanao’s academe, was commissioned by the Bishops-Ulama Conference to conduct the community consultations.

Its project director, Fr. Albert Alejo said a total of 4,916 participants from the Catholic, Muslim, Protestant and Lumad sectors  in 311 focus group discussions (FGDs) were asked four questions: “What is your vision of peace? What are your recommendations on the peace talks between the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front)?  What can you recommend on the broader peace process? What can you personally contribute – or even sacrifice – for peace in Mindanao?”

Abaya said the consultations starting February will use “a new model called reflective dialogue.”

She said a primer will be given to dialogue participants as they come in so they understand the process. They will also be polled as they come in. Experts from the government and MILF peace panels will talk after which the group will discuss with a facilitator.

“We want to get a more intelligent response,” Abaya said.

According to the Division for Social Policy and Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, "Reflective Participatory Dialogue" is defined as "thinking in complete ways that leads to tolerance and understanding of diverse worldviews and interests."

“Peace Dialogue in the Social integration Process uses reflective and participatory dialogue to support mutual accommodation towards more peaceful and just social relations. Progress towards more peaceful and just social relations is mediated by dialogue procedures suited to different needs. Different needs arise within stages of social relations i.e. within fragmentation, exclusion and polarization -- as well as coexistence, collaboration and cohesion. The stages comprise a model framework,” the UN said.

Abaya stressed that the consultations will be specific as to the issues the government and MILF peace panels will be discussing at the negotiating table.

“The idea is to get back to the people on the issues they (panels) are discussing. What do they want? “ Abaya said.
The result of the nearly year-long Konsult Mindanaw community consultations confirmed that between war and peace talks, Mindanawons go for the latter.

The Bishops-Ulama Conference presented to President Arroyo on October 29 the ”final results” of the community consultations on the peace process conducted this year by Konsult Mindanaw.

“One of the important results of the region-wide consultations and dialogues is that the process, which involved more than 5,000 respondents in eight regional centers, has caused the emergence of a collective consciousness on the part of the large number of Mindanawons,” Davao Archbishop  Fernando Capalla said in a statement.

In response, Presdient Arroyo said, “we are hopeful that the formal resumption of the GRP-MILF Peace Talks is imminent. I have already directed (GRP peace panel chair) Ambassador (Rafael) Seguis to conduct massive consultations and dialogues with our people, especially in Mindanao. I am very glad of the output of your consultations so that what he brings to the negotiations will be truly reflective of the people’s will.”

The BUC was tapped by President Arroyo to take a more active role in the peace process following the controversy over the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) in August last year and the shift at that time, in government’s strategy from negotiating with armed rebels to “authentic community dialogues” and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.”

The aim of the consultations was to ensure “greater participation of the greater number of stakeholders in the Mindanao peace process.”

According to the Powerpoint presentation of Konsult Mindanaw, the findings pertain specifically to the GRP-MILF peace process, are:
     - Although many participants express their lack of sufficient information on the MOA-AD, the peace talks between the government and the armed groups are very much alive in the mind of the people.
     - People want the peace talks to continue and to be in Mindanao.
     - Peace panels should be seen as really concerned with the plight of those affected by the conflict.
     - People are confused on the diverging views and actions of offices of the government in dealing with conflict and rebellion. Peace panels take an approach, military has another track, and only to be junked by the higher authority.  
      - On the same note, people get confused on the position of the different Moro groups and their supporters. People are not clear on the positions of the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front),  MILF, and other groups and personalities.
     -- People are searching for sincerity as expressed in consistency and coherence of actions from all parties.

Among the recommendations to the GRP-MILF peace process, as culled from participants in the FGDs:

On Content
     -   Examine roots of conflict particularly land conflicts. Skewed laws and policies in past dispossess ethnic groups.
     -   Respect the self-determination and self-governance of the Moros and the Lumads within their ancestral domains, with the intent of correcting historical injustice, while at the same time considering how Mindanao peoples can move forward in peace. Legitimate rights of settlers to their lands will also have to be respected.
     -  Fast track and subsidize the survey and titling of the Lumads’ domains, inside and outside the Bangsamoro territorial boundary.
    -  Clarify policies and processes to allay the fears on Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).
    -  Integrate in the peace negotiations the concern for good governance.
    -   Integrate regional sources of conflict into the peace framework.
    -  Include women’s perspectives in the peace talks.
    -  Respect previous agreements and initiatives.

On other security concerns
    - Regulate the use of firearms. Disband, abolish, disarm armed groups and private armies through the concerted efforts of the religious/tribal leaders, civil society and the academe with the support of the AFP and the PNP.
    - Clarify & delineate the roles of the AFP and the Police.
    - Synchronize the peace negotiations with all armed groups.
    - Retrieve, document, and reactivate traditional and indigenous conflict resolutions.

Capalla said the emergence of a collective consciousness on the part of the large number of Mindanawons “confirms or brings into focus the theme of the 2009 Mindanao Week of Peace” which was “Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao, and Bring Peace to Mindanao.”

The Week of Peace, however, was hardly felt as this came on the same week of the massacre of 58 persons, including 31 journalists, in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.  (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)

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