A sign in Maguindanao promoting BBL.
The Bansamore Basic Law (BBL) was all the hype when we arrived in Davao. To sum it up in a sentence, the BBL is a peace accord put forth by the MILF to the government of Philippines replaces the previous peace accord of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Some of the key differences are that MNLF had proposed the previous accord but BBL is the handy work of MILF, BBL would also bring Sharia law to the region, along with expanding the ARMM region to include more cities. So everywhere we went, we asked people about their thoughts on the BBL, do the support it? Do they think it will pass? Everyone off course, depending on their political leaning had a different response. Ranging anywhere from extreme excitement for the inclusive methods this new law would bring to intense disdain for being discriminatory to every other group of people in the region, BBL became a big part of our trip. One of the things that we heard that stood out was from a leader of the Columbio Multisectoral Ecology Movement Office (CMEM), she said that even if the BBL does pass or if it does not pass, violence in the region in inevitable because of the contrasting views of opposing factions. On the last day of our trip, I had jotted down in my journal that chances for BBL are looking well, but looking back now, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
A sign outside the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society in support of BBL.
Due to the Mamasapano incident, in which over 60 individuals were killed in a police operation, including 18 MILF members. Before this incident even occurred, many people were against the BBL and the idea of government reaching an according with another rebel group. The Mamasapano incident provided just the right reasoning for bashing BBL and reminding the people of Philippines that the government should not engage with outlaws. Immediately after the incident, all talks on the BBL were officially suspended; leaving people that had been working to promote it for the past two years foundering for air. I am again reminded of the statement that the leader from CMEM had made, that either way violence would be inevitable, but the BBL is not even close to passing and the chances have become so slim. Talks are officially to resume on April 20th, and I have no inkling as to what will come out of them. It was easier to gauge and understand the opinions of people when we were on the ground, now just reading the latest news clips thousands of miles away just leaves me confused and frustrated.
A sign outside the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society counting down days till the decision on BBL is made.