Beyond Paper...

“We think that we shall never see…

 A Mindanao as peaceful as it can be…

A place where Chirstians, Muslims and Lumads live together in harmony…

Against what others say as an Impossibilty…

Lets join hands together in unity..

Sign the Peace Agreement!”

Flooding highways in most parts of Mindanao especially in areas of North and South Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat these sign boards, more than encouraging me to join in the peace process, annoy my travelling experience.

In addition to these Plagiarism of the Poem   “A Tree” by Hellen Keller, more intriguing road signage would post questions then suggest answers as follows..

“The worst problem?     War

The Basic Reason?           Misunderstanding

Our Enemy? Ourselves

The Ultimate Solution? PEACE

SIGN THE PEACE AGREEMENT NOW!!!"

I recognize the efforts but I think this is all absurd. Peace is the most overused word I know. I grew tired of hearing promises of achieving lasting peace. I am a true-blooded Mindanaoan and just like many of my fellows, my hopes of attaining genuine harmony slowly shatters. It been years of struggle and dialogue way back from our ancestral fathers up to today’s educated people. But what has changed?

The elites who are nominal advocates of peace are in fact the perpetuators of war and unrest. You can’t talk peace and have a gun. If peace would be conceived like this as maintaining the status quo, then what they have been doing is correct. If peace is viewed on the limelight of superiority, control and dominance, then indeed Mindanao is peaceful. If the people will continually be blinded by this peace only the ruling few benefits, what good could it bring to present Mindanao? More importantly, how vague will our future be?

A written black-and-white agreement signed by the Government and the other benevolent party is no more than a piece of paper.  . It has been proven in past MOA’s that signification violations, more likely than not, will be committed. This current one, if indeed will be signed by hook or by crook, is the same amongst others-ineffective, futile, useless. It is all for fake formality. It’s an image-enhancer for the Government to project a well -performing administration. Clearly, this is another manifestation of a fascist regime of the few ruling elites.

Peace goes beyond writings and pens. It not a one-time deal and then boom! It happens in a blink of an eye. It is not instant, not quick, not short-lived. Neither is it organized, nor planned. It can never be negotiated, or arranged between only two people. It’s not an idea. In fact, it is only a dream. Unfortunately, dreams may or may not come true--- oftentimes not.

Peace is a process. It’s a constant struggle of living in harmony. It’s a series of small patriotic efforts gathered together to form a large-scale positive effect.  It happens naturally without willful enforcement. It resides in every people’s heart which emanate from his intellect and is reflected in his deeds. It is collaborative in substance. It is reality which is unrealizable.

We exert too much effort in reaching the so called PEACE, yet what we don’t know is that it is not something to be achieved but something already given. It’s a matter of actualization and experiencing the joys with the hardships that come with it.

It may sound hopeless but I still envision of a Mindanao where peace is actualized, is a reality and is for all. I dream to see its people enjoying the complete package that goes with the God-given peace. Most of all, I pray that we as Mindanaoans will learn to integrate peace per se in our day to day existence a primary peacemakers and not be limited on a white glossy material used for writing.
Peace beyond Paper..