Monday, October 09, 2006 Editorial: A hint of warning
ONE wonders about the statements of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official Kumander Bravo about "being on standby" in the event there won't be a resumption of peace talks between the national government and the MILF, following a stalemate in negotiations over the ancestral domain claims issue.
The statement issued during an interview over at dxIF Bombo Radyo, fell short of an actual warning since Bravo said he is only "reminding" the residents of the two Lanao provinces which his command has covered to be prepared for any eventuality in the event the talks did collapse.
His statement contrasts with the recent messages sent by the government and the MILF panels that the peace talks are still in place and that the "ceasefire mechanism" is still holding despite the stalemate in the negotiations. How long the "ceasefire mechanism" holds is another thing altogether.
Apparently the "ceasefire mechanism" will hold so long as there are indications that the peace talks will resume in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The other parties in the talks, namely the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), are noticeably supportive of the continuation of the peace talks though they won't be there for a longer period of time.
Their presence, while valued by the MILF, certainly won't serve as a full guarantee that any sort of hostilities won't break out in the open.
Bravo's statements, while generally being careful to avoid any provocation, clearly sends the message that the MILF won't back down from any armed confrontation.
Most telling was Bravo's disclosure that, from a supposedly "lean force" of 5,000 fighters, he and his people managed to recruit 25,000 more people to their cause for the two Lanao provinces alone. But then again, the military may have known about this in their intelligence monitoring efforts -- at least we hope so.
What also alarms people is the discovery of the wife of a Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) man in Mindanao. The wife supposedly admitted that her husband is said to be hiding safely within the company of the MILF rebels in Mindanao. Said husband is linked to a series of terror bombings in Asia which is a source of concern for authorities.
By "ceasefire mechanisms" we assume that the talks are being held in place by the assurance of a willingness to return for negotiations from both sides. That and the ongoing observance of the Ramadhan, which Kumander Bravo said he and fellow MILF fighters are commemorating.
One could only hope the two panels signify their intention to immediately return to the negotiating table in more concrete measures other than the ongoing visits to Lanao provinces and other local government units (LGUs) in the areas of Muslim Mindanao.
And we also hope the MILF keep its word and course their actions through their leadership in order to avoid any incidence of violence.
For its part the government should do everything within its power to make sure the talks get back on track since it is a situation they can ill afford not to resolve.
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