TAF holds ‘Forum on Sustaining a Peace Process: Lessons from Peace Processes in Hard Times’

By The Asia Foundation

The prospect of forging a final peace agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) within the current Arroyo administration is getting slimmer as the national May 2010 presidential elections draw nearer. Talks have resumed but only after a tumultuous 18 months that almost shattered every single gain that the peace process managed to build. Time is not on the side of the Peace Panels as they face the challenge of forging something concrete and actionable. The idea of an interim agreement has been floated to reflect the need to transition the talks safely from the current to the next administration.

In this critical period for the GRP-MILF Peace Talks, The Asia Foundation is organizing a public forum entitled “Sustaining a Peace Process: Lessons from Peace Processes in Hard Times on February 24, 2010 Wednesday, 3:00-5:00 Pm at the Pacific Heights Hotel in Cotabato City.”

In partnership with the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies (http://www.morostudies.com/) headed by Professor Abhoud S. Lingga, the Forum will have as its resource persons the Deputy Country Representatives of The Asia Foundation in Nepal, Mr. Sagar Prasai (http://www.asiafoundation.org/about/profile/sagar-prasai); and in Afghanistan, Mr. Zoran Milovic (http://www.asiafoundation.org/about/profile/zoran-milovic).

Mr. Prasai and Mr. Milovic are in the country for an internal Asia Foundation training but have agreed with the Philippine office to share their time in bringing the experience of these two places down to Mindanao. Both country offices of the Foundation in Nepal and Afghanistan have been helping the governments of both countries to roll out some post-conflict mechanisms and facilitate democratic institutions.

The Forum on February 24 in Cotabato City is consistent with The Asia Foundation’s commitment to regularly provide opportunities for Asian dialog and learning. Back in 2008, also a critical year for the GRP-MILF Peace Process, and exactly 3 days before the supposed signing of the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA AD) in Kuala Lumpur, The Asia Foundation also collaborated with the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies to conduct a Forum on the Aceh and the Mindanao peace processes in Cotabato City (http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2008/07/30/event-in-cotabato-city-forum-on-aceh-and-mindanao-peace-process/).

Mr. Ky Johnson (http://www.asiafoundation.org/about/profile/ky-d-johnson), the Deputy Country Representative for the Philippines will also join as a resource person in the Forum.

Mr. Tom Parks (http://www.asiafoundation.org/about/profile/thomas-parks), the Foundation’s Director for Conflict and Governance who is based in Bangkok, Thailand also agreed to provide his regional perspective on peace processes.
The forum is open to everybody interested.

RSVP: Windel Diangcalan, Asst. Program Officer, windel@asiafound.org or mobile: 0928.711.9404