Atty. Ferdausi Abbas on Marawi Crisis (personal notes)

"The BBL was finished in July and its done in a hurry. The MILF will mainly focus for its legislation; we will support and monitor for its legislation. However, the government will push for federal form of government. This can change the condition when the congress is transformed into a constituents assembly.

We do not know the position of the MILF chair on this concerns but I hope this will not render the sacrifices of the BTC for BBL.

The BTC meets at Malacanang today as we speak and I beg off for my presence there because convening the Maranao people to discuss our plight is more important to me. Remember that the BTC is led by the MILF. I, as a commissioner represents the MNLF as a vice chairman of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs. The MNLF will wait with what the MILF will do relating to BBL’s legislation.

The Bangsa Maranao congress is an aggrupation or convention of all leaders of Bangsa Maranao. The term Bangsamoro term has been used, abused and misused. Most times, this is being used to refer to the MILF and MNLF but the constitution of these groups do not constitute a higher percentage of the Bangsamoro people's populace.

Maranao, our tribe as people of the Lake, represent our collective sense. We are rich in history. But these days, our place is devastated, reduced into ruins. Its this motivation that we are compelled to convene to address our concerns, sufferings, and ensure our issues are ventilated.

We have condemned the ISIS-inspired Maute group and in fact, we were prepared to fight them. These atrocities caused our suffering. But from the evidences of our ruins, the Maute group did not destroyed the Marawi. Its the bombs, aerial strikes -- weapons of war which devastated our area. The devastation of our properties are done by military. Now that houses are destroyed, they will also rob our lands?

This war is not a religious conflict. Its a political conflict. We question the consequence as crime committed against our people.

This congress will last for one to two days. If we only have enough resources; we can convene for a month or more.

Is there a legal feasibility to launch a suit against the state? We have all the rights in civil law to be indemnified and in our rules of court. What is difficult isn’t about winning. The difficulty is the enforcement of just compensation. Remember that in post-martial period, we won on a case for a damages at US 440 million dollars although there was difficulty in the execution of resolution.

We know for a fact that civil society organizations are there in this Marawi crisis. But their efforts are focused on producing data. They do not have political commitment for our people.

We will take upon ourselves as Maranao people to document our individual cases through affidavits and we will not limit the forum for resolution in this country. We will take this to international court.

The government’s war on drug will not provide us peace. Why? People are involved in this business because its lucrative. You will take this out from them, they will strike through different crimes. This is because the real problem is lack of economic opportunities to meet their basic needs.

Violent extremism yield not just radicalism; there’s fanaticism.

True, Misuari is a dismal failure.

I remember serving as counsel of former MILF chair Salamat but there are still other faction that is severely disillusioned. So they organize Abu Sayaff. The MILF also had a group in a faction -- the BIFF. Others are more disillusioned and became fanatical. To them, they will fight until independence. There are those who believed on what the MILF and MNLF who introduced autonomy to the Muslim ummah. Others believed that its impossible to build genuine autonomy if national laws are governed by "Christian" doctrines.

There is no economics in Bangsamoro people (even if they are great traders). The Moro land is the lowest in the income strata of the country; 6 of 10 are poor; 30% or now 60% (due to evacuation) are dropouts from Grade 1-6. They cannot plow their fields because there is war. The problem is economics. Give means for people to live comfortably, grow, and nourish. This government don’t even understand the basic principles of economics.

You (this government) cannot appease the people by creating malls and scrappers. The Maranaos are simple people of the lake. Marawi should be built and rebuild by Muslims peoples in accordance to our customary architecture. We built our properties facing the kaaba.

For them to say that we are Maranao survivors, this is unacceptable. Survival is for the beast. We live. We live a life of honor and with dignity. The guns and bombs may cause silence but the Maranao people will not be silenced. The Maranao people will see these destructions everyday -- these peoples who have prognosis of trauma.

Sira na ang mga bahay, sira na ang mga lugar. Sira na ang bayan. Ano pa ang ikinakatakot namin?

What grievances to be addressed as immediate for now?

1. the basic needs of the Maranao family.

2. A guarantee of tax exemption of Maranao people for 20 years.

3. Scholarship for all Maranao children and youths until college.

4. Participation in policy discourses.

5. The national council must focus on the reconstruction of Marawi.

6. Acknowledge the moral ascendancy of datus and other traditional leaders in security management. Maranao soldiers know who talk to.

7. Economically displaced Maranao will dialogue with legislatures and with DSWD.

8. Taxes on electricity should be paid from the situs where power is generated. It should not be levied outside Marawi.

9. Internal revenue allotment should not be a pocket money of politicians; nor be a subject for 5/6 (shark loans).

If you want to talk to us, do not talk with us in 5-star hotel. Go to Marawi. And if you go to the province, don’t talk to officials. Talk to us as Maranao people.

When I became a lawyer, I took an oath to the Philippine Constitution. We serve God, country, people, and our family. In that order. Those who will contest me should examine first their positions.

Will this kind of violence happen again? Definitely. As long as people are continually abused; resources of Lanao del Sur is misused; martial law is not lifted... The Maranao people ay laging nagigipit. Pag ang taong nagigipit, sa patalim kumakapit."

[Listened to Atty. Ferdausi Abbas in a meeting with Maranao leaders on Marawi crisis at a cafe in Iligan city. The meeting was convene to formally announce the Bangsa Maranao Congress on September 30, 2017. This is a personal notes.]