Dear Bangsamoro youth,
For decades now we have been saying that we are all tired of the conflicts, bloodshed, and the cycle of violence that left some of us battered and broken. We have said for so long that the cost in lives lost and families broken by violence is too high.
These conflicts were also part of the reason why some of us do not live in our homeland, Mindanao. Many of our Bangsamoro people have had to flee their communities. We have since become the products of this exodus. We have had to choose between staying in our homes or surviving elsewhere because of these conflicts.
Many of us have had to choose dispossession and diaspora in order to stay alive.
There was a time when “Moro” was considered a derogatory word. We are changing that. We believe that the discourse on the Bangsamoro narrative is one that should include the whole nation and all Filipino citizens, not just us Moros. This has evolved out of the ongoing conversation on our narrative among the Moro youth and within our communities. (READ: Why the Bangsamoro plebiscite matters to you)
In the last few years, we have seen a lot of Bangsamoro youths directly and indirectly engaged in this process they call peace negotiations. I say that this a refreshing change. In the past, the discussions on Moros’ right to self-determination did not see as much participation from the youth. I have seen the future of the Bangsamoro step up to the challenge of making peace amid all the conflict.
We are making the choice of peace for our future. We have been working to make this happen, and we are still at work. That choice and all your efforts are worthy of respect, and you have our deep and abiding respect. (READ: Bangsamoro Vote 2019)
To all the youth who are giving their time and efforts, and whose work has brought us to the stage where we are now – the stage where peace is now visible and very much within reach – you are the movers and shakers for this process.
Many of us will walk to our polling precincts on Monday, January 21, for the plebiscite.
Remember that this is not just the fruit of our forefathers’ struggle. It is also the fruit of our work for and dedication to peace in our homeland.
This Bangsamoro we are building is owned by all of us, not just our forefathers. This is our future, and it is but right that we be the driving force that will make it happen. – Rappler.com
Amir Mawallil, youth leader, is a proud Moro Tausug writer. He has worked as a journalist, and now works in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as the director of the region’s public information office. He is the author of the book, "A Constant Retelling: Exploring the Bangsamoro Narratives," published in 2018 by Balangiga Press.