CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — More than just a political contest, the upcoming first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will serve as the “ultimate litmus test” for the Bangsamoro peace process, a Moro historian said, stressing the need to hold a credible and peaceful elections.
“The first BARMM parliamentary elections is not only historic; it is also fundamentally different from an ordinary election. It is a crucial milestone in our long journey toward peace,” Prof. Tirmizy Abdullah, a history professor at the Mindanao State University in Marawi, told the Inquirer on Monday.
According to Abdullah, the success of the election “will reflect the success of the peace process itself.”
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He also pointed out that “a peaceful vote means a victory for both peace and the Bangsamoro people.”
The Moro historian added that the Sept. 14 polls must not be viewed in isolation from the broader normalization process designed to replace armed struggle with democratic participation.
“The parliamentary elections are, in fact, part of the architecture of peace. It is an important component of the transition from armed struggle to democratic political participation,” Abdullah explained.
He added: “It should therefore be understood as an integral part of the normalization process, a process intended to transform the conditions that once produced conflict into institutions, mechanisms, and opportunities that allow the Bangsamoro people to pursue their aspirations through peaceful and democratic means.”
Abdullah said that ensuring a credible and peaceful vote “is the only way to validate decades of peace negotiations and the sacrifices of the Bangsamoro people.”
“For this reason, the credibility, inclusivity, transparency, and peaceful conduct of the elections matter immensely. This is not merely about who will win or who will lose politically,” Abdullah said.
He added that the elections “are less about choosing lawmakers and more about choosing peace.” INQ
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