10 April 2014 – The newly signed Comprehensive Peace Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) was put under the spotlight during the Symposium on Peace and Reconciliation Processes and Initiatives held by the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) this week.

Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Chair of the Philippine Government Peace Negotiating Panel in talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Hon. Tengku Dato’ Abdul Ghafar Bin Tengku Mohamed, Facilitator for the GPH-MILF Peace Process and AIPR Advisory Board Member, shared their experiences leading up to the signing of the landmark document and outlined the hopes and challenges towards its implementation.

The Philippines’ experience with the CAB was part of the symposium’s five sessions of presentations which are meant to help give the AIPR Governing Council an overview of the peace and reconciliation initiatives being undertaken in the region and throughout the world and to pick up on best practices in peace and mediation efforts. The Governing Council is the highest policy-making body of the AIPR and will set the future direction of the fledgling ASEAN Institute.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles, who is the Philippines’ representative to the AIPR Advisory Board, keynoted the symposium, saying that the AIPR must be strengthened “as a strategic force not only for peace, but for human freedom, common prosperity and collective security throughout our region.”

She said the AIPR should look beyond its mandate of conducting research and capacity-building, and consider gathering and consolidating all the narratives of peace in the region over the decades, extracting the lessons learned and best practices, and forging a consensus of how to move forward on future challenges.

“The documentation of conflict resolution and preventive diplomacy in ASEAN could be a vital resource not only for the region but for the whole world,” Secretary Deles emphasized.

“Lessons learned across our organization could guide governments and civil society in several parts of the world where strife has reared its head, where workers for peace are on constant search for ways to silence guns and tempers that flare in the heat of anger and misunderstanding. Here in our own turf, the AIPR needs to explore ways for the ASEAN and its member states to strengthen their capacity in early warning, good offices, mediation, and conciliation. We must not only wage peace by stopping hostilities, but by making sure that the gains of peace processes benefit those who need it most,” she added.

Members of the AIPR Governing Council and Advisory Board gathered for the two-day symposium to listen to the ideas and experiences of renowned experts in peace and mediation initiatives. The symposium came a few days after the historic signing of the CAB, which is being hailed as a major step by peace advocates all throughout the world.

Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan P. Garcia, who delivered the opening remarks, said that the symposium is a landmark event, with all the AIPR Governing Council members and AIPR Advisory Board members present. “We have in our midst the initial pool of experts from ASEAN Member States who will assist ASEAN on conflict management and conflict resolution activities in the future.” He said.

Other speakers during the symposium include H.E. Gunnar Stålsett, Bishop Emeritus of Oslo, Norway and Special Advisor to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Member of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee; Dr. Michael Vatikiotis, Asian Regional Director of the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue; former Indonesian Ambassador and AIPR Advisory Board Member Ms. Artauli R.M.P. Tobing; Rodolfo C. Severino, Head of the ASEAN Studies Center of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore and Former Secretary-General of ASEAN; Associate Dean Prof. Joseph Chinyong Liow of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and Member of the AIPR Advisory Board; Dr. Julian Vassallo, Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines; Prof. Sukehiro Hasegawa of the UN University and Hosei University and former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Timor-Leste; and Executive Director Ms. Rahimah Abdulrahim of the Habibie Center in Indonesia.

Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN and AIPR Governing Council Member Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, who was the organizer of the event, said that she was very pleased at how the Symposium turned out and appreciated the active participation of the representatives of each ASEAN Member State in the discussions. She said that there are high hopes for the AIPR and that the first symposium is just one of the many upcoming activities that the institute will undertake in strengthening its mandate to become the ASEAN Region’s premier institution for promoting peace and reconciliation initiatives.

The AIPR will hold its second symposium later this month in Bali, Indonesia from April 21 to 23. END