We Chose Peace: An Insider's Story of the Bangsamoro Peace Talks is a nonfiction book written by Miriam Coronel Ferrer. It was published in 2024 by the University of the Philippines Press.
Synopsis / Summary / About
This book is more than just the personal journey of the lead negotiator who signed on behalf of the Philippine government the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. It also offers insights into the intricacies of a difficult political process, the ways and means by which it was approached, and how complicated issues were resolved in the midst of intermittent explosions of violence and vacillating public opinion. Practitioners, analysts, scholars, and advocates will find a good resource on a range of themes that confound all mediation and peace processes: the role of third parties, process design, inclusion of women and the minorities within minorities, ceasefires, and the combination of implementation, monitoring, and refication and mechanisms that are crucial to sustaining the endeavor, building trust every step of the way, and the search for common ground. Last but not least, its descriptive accounts from one chapter to the next bring to life the fervor of those from all sides who invested their willl and leadership, persisted with goodwill and integrity, and continued to believe that a just and comprehensive peace agreement must and can be reached.