The clown of many masks

Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chair Nurullaji Misuari (the real name of Nur Misuari) was recently reported to have declared “independence” of a “Bangsamoro Repulik” from the Republic of the Philippines, on the basis of his decades-old, historical narrative of a free territory and free people alternately subjugated and oppressed in every way by superior Western powers.

But any story, however of epic proportions it may be or even with  superhuman protagonists, can be quite boring after several repetitions. And the listener, instead of holding onto the story, begins to yawn and finds relief—from its repeated narration—in sleep.

Sleep is a dangerous phase in this scenario because it results in lethargy—many things take place while one is in a state of induced stupor. For example, a government so well-entrenched because it has seemingly demonstrated in many instances disciplined and principled governance, thus earning the trust of the governed, can plot and pursue its secret, self-serving agenda without restraint.

And the consequence? The governed or the people unknowingly abdicate their collective constitutional obligation and right to be involved and to participate in the affairs of the state, leaving all policy decisions and directions to the governors. Which is exactly what the administration of President Aquino is doing—through commissions, panels and whatever labels it can think of. For example, it formed a transitory government to pave the way for the synchronization of the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with those of the national government and the local government elections. In one masterful stroke, the ARMM was reduced to the level of a local government.

Having done so, the government proceeded to form the latest of the peace process panels to revive the stalled peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a breakaway group from the MNLF, whose members opposed Misuari’s unilateral leadership style.

From all indications it is quite clear that the Aquino administration wants to ensure the success of the ongoing peace negotiations which are expected to end up with a final peace agreement (FPA) with the MILF. All sectors concerned are fervently hoping and praying for the FPA to finally put an end to the decades-old Mindanao conflict that the Misuari-led MNLF ignited and that has caused the loss of some 150,000 innocent civilians and unquantifiable loss and destruction of public and private property.

Neither Misuari nor the MNLF he led has been held accountable for any of their public crimes. Instead he and his top commanders, including those who defected to the government, were placed in high elective and appointive government positions and given an almost complete free hand in running government offices within the scope of the ARMM.

Those who for one reason or another were not even remotely capable of occupying government offices were rewarded with business concessions and “livelihood projects,” while their wives were vested with blanket authority to form “cooperatives.”

I will no longer burden myself with an account of what happened after, because I would like to believe this is the reason for the machinations that the present government is trying to push with the MILF. Besides I need the space.

But what about Misuari, he who started it all with the logistical and ideological assistance of a like mind who happened to have the power and the wherewithal to get his support in their common objective to bring down the government of Ferdinand Marcos? He feels neglected and sidelined and therefore bitter and resentful because, for one, in his heroic effort to “free” his “Bangsamoro” from the consequences of an unjust colonial past and set it on equal footing with the Christian government illegally set up by the colonizers, he who was once the hero will now wallow in ignominy and end up in the dustbin of history reviled and ridiculed by his own people, counting only on the fraudulent loyalty of his followers whose obeisance lie in the  high-powered arms given to them by Misuari himself.

But he will not go without a fight. To the very end Misuari is determined to stop the peace process from ending up in an FPA that will negate all that he believes he accomplished, by forming a new government structure that will end the existence of the ARMM, which is a total failure in the assessment of both the government and the governed.

A most pathetic end worse than death.

And so the declaration of independence. The laughter that followed was more deafening because it was not heard.

I remember a children’s story told to me by my mother. It was intended to teach me about the consequences of selfishness and not being liked by one’s playmates. The little girl in the story, after being told by a fairy the reason why she was lonely and unhappy, decided to change by inviting her playmates to a tea party. Her concerned mother tried to make the party into a very pleasant and memorable one with plenty of cookies, cakes and candies and toys as tokens for everyone who accepted the invitation.

But nobody came.

And that is why Misuari’s most recent call for independence went with the wind.

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