By Faber Concepcion
Its nice to be back folks. Small Bites is here again. My fervent thanks to the editor for the encouragement. The Sabah claim, indeed, triggered the fervor to take back the pen and paper scribble thoughts behind daily issues and the news. Jang and the kids remain.Small Bites' inspiration and Freedom of the thoughts and expression under a democracy remain the highest principle for the service of God and the reading public.
The Malaysian Response
Although opposition political parties describe the incident as a mere ‘drama’ staged by the ruling political party in Sabah to gain sympathy translated into votes in the coming parliamentary elections, with their suggestion that the intrusion be treated as a flagrant criminal act thereby inciting that deadly force be applied, the official Malaysian response is however characterized as sober and restrained yet calculated.
A senior Malaysian official, Home Minister Hashimuddin Hussein supervising the response declared that they are hesitant to cause bloodshed as they are inclined towards a peaceful solution and convince the intruders to return to the Philippines. As of press time, Malaysian security forces are within 500 meters from the sultanate supporter’s encampment and have them surrounded from all sides.
But the sultan’s party in Sabah is determined to stay, contrary to reports that they would leave as soon as their demand is satisfied, because their demand is for them to be left to stay in their ‘homeland.’ The Manila government joins in the Malaysian resolve to convince the ‘intruders’ to repatriate without making a comment on the cause of their intrusion, apparently eager to maintain close relations with Malaysia.
MNLF’s involvement in the Sabah standoff
Unverified reports from Malaysia suggest that MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari orchestrated the standoff to attract the attention of the Philippine government and the international community, stating further that the matter has something to do with Misuari’s standing claim that Sabah is part of the Philippines and that Misuari just wants to show off. It went on to say that although the MNLF may have forged a peace agreement with the government, he has not given up on his claim on Sabah.
Although Misuari and the MNLF openly aired his support to the Sultan’s intrusion into Sabah to assert their claim and even going as far as urging Malaysia not to harm their brothers, there has been no direct showing that Misuari did orchestrate the Sabah intrusion. Somehow, the seeming mistake of dealing only with the MILF in the peace negotiations has seen its horrendous results, early on.(MNLF even indicated its inevitable stance to come to the rescue of the holed out Filipinos Suluks once attacked.
The Sabah Standoff: Possibilities
Although the Malaysian response to the Sabah intrusion has so far been sober and restrained, it is not far off that the current state of affairs would slide into a bloodbath, considering its resolve to finally deport the intruders as its objective and the ‘intruders’ firmer resolve to stay. Be that as it may, the current situation in Sabah has already attracted global concern, and its effects are far-reaching: While it took the ire of Malaysia and President Pnoy, the humanitarian aspect of the situation becomes an issue, with the food blockade then imposed, it has reached the United Nations Human Rights Council now and other sovereign Sultanates of the world.
In view of the Sultanate’s as well as the MNLF’s shared sentiment of being left out in the political settlement expected with the implementation of the Framework Agreement, it is not far off that they and the people which they represent would collectively turn their attention towards Malaysia: what we can’t achieve in the Philippines, we might achieve in Malaysia. Although the idea of fighting "co-religionist" would cast a hesitant nod on the face of the Moro, its grim possibility cannot just be set aside. The Moro, or more aptly, Tausug consciousness would be opened towards the possibility of ultimately vying to redeem what is justly theirs.Worst case scenario is, Malaysia unites with fellow Philippine Muslims: MNLF, Sulu Sultanate. and turn against the Philippines! Is this possible?
This, however,Small Bites believes cannot be achieved at a cheap price.
Its nice to be back folks. Small Bites is here again. My fervent thanks to the editor for the encouragement. The Sabah claim, indeed, triggered the fervor to take back the pen and paper scribble thoughts behind daily issues and the news. Jang and the kids remain.Small Bites' inspiration and Freedom of the thoughts and expression under a democracy remain the highest principle for the service of God and the reading public.
In an Experts’
Roundtable Discussions on the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro sponsored
by the Institute of Autonomy and Governance, critics of the agreement gave an
observation that the path taken by the current peace process leads to
uncertainty.
The Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) is only the latest of a bloody line of attempts at reaching a compromise between a government that is weary of maintaining its territorial integrity and a people eager of asserting their right to self-determination. My observation is that, although this spells out some hope towards a lasting political settlement and an end to conflict, much is left to be desired as there are serious flaws in its substance and the mechanisms by which its intentions are expected to be delivered. What adds up to this debacle is the fact that this compromise agreement, that is, the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, suffers from a grim lack of support from important stakeholders without whom any ‘comprehensive peace agreement’ would neither be comprehensive, nor would it lead to lasting peace and would ultimately not be agreeable.
We realized that having consulted with the CSOs and pooling great advisers’ minds all together was no guarantee that you have struck the best of agreements in the world when a very important sector had been excluded in the peace recipe and decided to fight on their own simply due to either unintentional neglect or deliberate omission.
The Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) is only the latest of a bloody line of attempts at reaching a compromise between a government that is weary of maintaining its territorial integrity and a people eager of asserting their right to self-determination. My observation is that, although this spells out some hope towards a lasting political settlement and an end to conflict, much is left to be desired as there are serious flaws in its substance and the mechanisms by which its intentions are expected to be delivered. What adds up to this debacle is the fact that this compromise agreement, that is, the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, suffers from a grim lack of support from important stakeholders without whom any ‘comprehensive peace agreement’ would neither be comprehensive, nor would it lead to lasting peace and would ultimately not be agreeable.
We realized that having consulted with the CSOs and pooling great advisers’ minds all together was no guarantee that you have struck the best of agreements in the world when a very important sector had been excluded in the peace recipe and decided to fight on their own simply due to either unintentional neglect or deliberate omission.
Soon enough,
the important stakeholders we refer to, the MNLF and the loyalists of the
Sultanate of Sulu, who seem to have been side-swept from the limelight, has
suddenly captured attention; apparently sending a message that they are still
‘forces to reckon with.’
The Philippine-Malaysian conspiracy theory
The opinion that the relationship between the Philippine government and Malaysia which has gone so far hand in hand towards breaking into a peace deal with the MILF, has reached an all-time high, benefiting each other, has been circulating: the former getting itself rid, at least for the time being, of the largest armed rebel group in its domain, and the latter relieving itself of a long-running claim on its priced easternmost territory. Malaysia is eager to facilitate the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF in order to divert everybody’s attention to the Sulu Sultanate’s Sabah claim. It is understood that the Sultanate, as well as the other stakeholders such as the MNLF were not considered in the Malaysia-brokered peace deal. No doubt, Its repercussions are now felt: the MNLF’s show of force with its ‘cleansing of Sulu’ by chasing down the Abu Sayyaf, and the Sultanate’s royal intrusion into the contested North Borneo territory.
The MNLF
In a show of force, the MNLF recently figured in a fierce gunfight with the Abu Sayyaf over several days after negotiations for the release of kidnapped persons bogged down. The MNLF successfully overran the Abu Sayyaf camp and finally chasing the ‘dirt’ out into hiding as part of their ‘cleansing agenda’ as one senior MNLF personality calls it. They have achieved what government forces failed to get. As these events developed, the government took a stance of non-involvement in the fighting, which many quarters believe as most appropriate and “let them [the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf] kill each other.”
The Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu
The Royal Army had been silent and for the most part, unknown to mainstream public opinion until recently. Malaysian authorities were alarmed at the news of the landing of more than 200 Filipino “intruders” in a remote village in Lahad Datu, Sabah State. Some of whom are armed and are in fatigue uniforms and identified themselves as the Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu and are acting under the ‘royal decree’ of the Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Jamalul Kiram who at present, stays in Manila and undergoing dialysis. The group is said to be led by the sultan’s younger brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin- thereupon reviving the issue on the sultanate’s Sabah claim.
The arrival of the armed group is said to be a prelude to the filing of a petition before the United Nations for the “decolonization” of Sabah by the Sultanate of Sulu, as the sultanate should first show proof that it is occupying the territory in question before filing a UN petition to reclaim it. The Sultanate of Sulu is due to file their petition next month when the 50-year lease of the British government on the island expires. Their presence in the territory is seen to have been intended to bolster their claim that they have already re-occupied their ancestral land.
The Philippine-Malaysian conspiracy theory
The opinion that the relationship between the Philippine government and Malaysia which has gone so far hand in hand towards breaking into a peace deal with the MILF, has reached an all-time high, benefiting each other, has been circulating: the former getting itself rid, at least for the time being, of the largest armed rebel group in its domain, and the latter relieving itself of a long-running claim on its priced easternmost territory. Malaysia is eager to facilitate the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF in order to divert everybody’s attention to the Sulu Sultanate’s Sabah claim. It is understood that the Sultanate, as well as the other stakeholders such as the MNLF were not considered in the Malaysia-brokered peace deal. No doubt, Its repercussions are now felt: the MNLF’s show of force with its ‘cleansing of Sulu’ by chasing down the Abu Sayyaf, and the Sultanate’s royal intrusion into the contested North Borneo territory.
The MNLF
In a show of force, the MNLF recently figured in a fierce gunfight with the Abu Sayyaf over several days after negotiations for the release of kidnapped persons bogged down. The MNLF successfully overran the Abu Sayyaf camp and finally chasing the ‘dirt’ out into hiding as part of their ‘cleansing agenda’ as one senior MNLF personality calls it. They have achieved what government forces failed to get. As these events developed, the government took a stance of non-involvement in the fighting, which many quarters believe as most appropriate and “let them [the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf] kill each other.”
The Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu
The Royal Army had been silent and for the most part, unknown to mainstream public opinion until recently. Malaysian authorities were alarmed at the news of the landing of more than 200 Filipino “intruders” in a remote village in Lahad Datu, Sabah State. Some of whom are armed and are in fatigue uniforms and identified themselves as the Royal Army of the Sultanate of Sulu and are acting under the ‘royal decree’ of the Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Jamalul Kiram who at present, stays in Manila and undergoing dialysis. The group is said to be led by the sultan’s younger brother, Raja Muda Agbimuddin- thereupon reviving the issue on the sultanate’s Sabah claim.
The arrival of the armed group is said to be a prelude to the filing of a petition before the United Nations for the “decolonization” of Sabah by the Sultanate of Sulu, as the sultanate should first show proof that it is occupying the territory in question before filing a UN petition to reclaim it. The Sultanate of Sulu is due to file their petition next month when the 50-year lease of the British government on the island expires. Their presence in the territory is seen to have been intended to bolster their claim that they have already re-occupied their ancestral land.
The Malaysian Response
Although opposition political parties describe the incident as a mere ‘drama’ staged by the ruling political party in Sabah to gain sympathy translated into votes in the coming parliamentary elections, with their suggestion that the intrusion be treated as a flagrant criminal act thereby inciting that deadly force be applied, the official Malaysian response is however characterized as sober and restrained yet calculated.
A senior Malaysian official, Home Minister Hashimuddin Hussein supervising the response declared that they are hesitant to cause bloodshed as they are inclined towards a peaceful solution and convince the intruders to return to the Philippines. As of press time, Malaysian security forces are within 500 meters from the sultanate supporter’s encampment and have them surrounded from all sides.
But the sultan’s party in Sabah is determined to stay, contrary to reports that they would leave as soon as their demand is satisfied, because their demand is for them to be left to stay in their ‘homeland.’ The Manila government joins in the Malaysian resolve to convince the ‘intruders’ to repatriate without making a comment on the cause of their intrusion, apparently eager to maintain close relations with Malaysia.
MNLF’s involvement in the Sabah standoff
Unverified reports from Malaysia suggest that MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari orchestrated the standoff to attract the attention of the Philippine government and the international community, stating further that the matter has something to do with Misuari’s standing claim that Sabah is part of the Philippines and that Misuari just wants to show off. It went on to say that although the MNLF may have forged a peace agreement with the government, he has not given up on his claim on Sabah.
Although Misuari and the MNLF openly aired his support to the Sultan’s intrusion into Sabah to assert their claim and even going as far as urging Malaysia not to harm their brothers, there has been no direct showing that Misuari did orchestrate the Sabah intrusion. Somehow, the seeming mistake of dealing only with the MILF in the peace negotiations has seen its horrendous results, early on.(MNLF even indicated its inevitable stance to come to the rescue of the holed out Filipinos Suluks once attacked.
The Sabah Standoff: Possibilities
Although the Malaysian response to the Sabah intrusion has so far been sober and restrained, it is not far off that the current state of affairs would slide into a bloodbath, considering its resolve to finally deport the intruders as its objective and the ‘intruders’ firmer resolve to stay. Be that as it may, the current situation in Sabah has already attracted global concern, and its effects are far-reaching: While it took the ire of Malaysia and President Pnoy, the humanitarian aspect of the situation becomes an issue, with the food blockade then imposed, it has reached the United Nations Human Rights Council now and other sovereign Sultanates of the world.
In view of the Sultanate’s as well as the MNLF’s shared sentiment of being left out in the political settlement expected with the implementation of the Framework Agreement, it is not far off that they and the people which they represent would collectively turn their attention towards Malaysia: what we can’t achieve in the Philippines, we might achieve in Malaysia. Although the idea of fighting "co-religionist" would cast a hesitant nod on the face of the Moro, its grim possibility cannot just be set aside. The Moro, or more aptly, Tausug consciousness would be opened towards the possibility of ultimately vying to redeem what is justly theirs.Worst case scenario is, Malaysia unites with fellow Philippine Muslims: MNLF, Sulu Sultanate. and turn against the Philippines! Is this possible?
This, however,Small Bites believes cannot be achieved at a cheap price.
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