ARMM educators holds peace assembly to resume peace talks

The Peace Center of the Commission on Higher Education of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CHED-ARMM), launched the 2011 Educators Assembly for Peace in the Philippines in the Islamic City of Marawi over the weekend held at Noramis Convention Center here.         Dr. Norma M. Sharief, Ph.D, Regional Chairman II/Managing Commissioner of Ched-ARMM disclosed that, responding to the Presidential Call of His Excellency President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to all Peace stakeholders to work for peace for this country and to the Peace Pronouncement of Acting Regional Governor of ARMM Datu Ansaruddin A. Adiong during his State of the Region Address (SORA),The theme of the peace assembly is "Educators: The Cultivators of Peace for the Present and Future Generations".       The historical event was in coordination with Regional Association of Higher Education Institutions (RAHEI) in the ARMM, particularly the Philippine Muslim Teachers' College (PMTC), the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies (IBS) and the Society of Educators for Educational Development (SEED), uniting together in praying to Allah (swt) for peace to reign in the Bangsamoro Homeland and in the Philippines as a whole.      The two day affair was attended by some prominent Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) personalities led by MILF Peace Panel, Chairman  Datu Mohagher M. Iqbal, DAtu Atty. Michael Mastura, MILF Peace Panel Senior Member ,Professor Abhoud Syed M. Linga, Chairman, Institute of Bangsamoro Studies speaks on "Issues on Bansamoro Studies", and international lecturer Dr. Kamarulzaman Askandar from Universiti Sains Malaysia,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia speaks on the "Intra –State Conflict Resolution in ASEAN Region: The Role of the Third Parties.   The more than five hundred participants in the peace assembly made a resolution RECALLING the various conferences, seminars, workshops, and assemblies convened, sponsored or co-sponsored by the Commission on Higher Education—ARMM and other institutions pertaining to the search for peace through education in the ARMM, Mindanao and the Philippines in general,   RECALLING FURTHERMORE the peace processes between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which resulted to the signing of the September 2, 1996 GRP-MNLF Final Peace Agreement and the initialed but unsigned GRP-MILF Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) of July 2008,   TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that the abovementioned agreements could have solved the problem of unpeace in the Bangsamoro Homeland by all means possible, including the field of education as a vehicle in molding the mind of the younger generation of the peoples of Mindanao towards total peace and harmony in Mindanao, had these been fully implemented in letter and spirit,   HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendations of the speakers, delegates to this august assembly, 1.      CALLS upon the President of the Republic of the Philippines to finally determine and decide to restore the peace process between the Philippine government and the MILF as announced in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered on July 26, 2010 during the joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives wherein he announced: "Kinikilala natin ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng MILF sa pamamagitan ng pagdidisiplina sa kanilang hanay. Inaasahan natin na muling magsisimula ang negosasyon pagkatapos ng Ramadan" but which did not yet start until now,   Requesting further the President to recognize the active participation of the Third Party Facilitator through the Malaysian representative (DATUK OTHMAN BIN ABDUL RAZAK) to resume the peace process,                 2. CALLS for a paradigm shift in understanding the Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination from "Mindanao Problem" to "Philippine Problem" as this is a problem of the Filipinos and the Philippine government to give justice and resolution to the legitimate grievances of the Bangsamoro people; 3.      CALLS for the organization of educational and other multi-sectoral networks that would call for the campaigns for genuine and lasting peace all over ARMM, Mindanao in particular, and the Philippines in general;   4.       ALLS for the recognition and involvement of the ARMM HEIs represented by the CHED-ARMM Regional Chairman as partner of the national government in the framing of educational policies, programs and guidelines; 5.      .ALLS for more funds support for the Islamization of Knowledge in ARMM HEIs;   6.       ALLS for the appointment of the CHED-ARMM Regional Chairman as member of the Board of Regents/Trustees of State Universities and Colleges within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao;   7.       ALLS for the institutionalization of Peace Conference of Educators or conduct of this Assembly every year in order to keep the academe abreast with the developments in the peace processes and to encourage participation of all education stakeholders in the advocacy for peace;   8.      PAYS TRIBUTE to the eminent personalities be they delegates and guests for gracing this affair,   9.      REQUESTS the Regional Chairman II / Managing Commissioner of CHED-ARMM to form a Special Committee of Twenty Five (25) members from this august Body to seek audience with the President of the Republic of the Philippines and communicate this Resolution for proper action.