Saturday, July 28, 2007 MILF's war stance hurts talks: students By Lizanilla J. Amarga
A STUDENT group here voiced fears that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will not do any good to the peace process with its "saber-rattling" and stubborn insistence not to surrender those responsible for the death of 14 Marines, 10 of whom were beheaded, in Basilan last July 10.
Student Movement for Peace and Development in Mindanao spokesperson Sheila Macapanton said their group is convinced that MILF is pushing the government in a situation where "it has to demonstrate its capability to address the belligerence of separatist elements."
What happened in Basilan does not partake of rebellion, said Macapanton.
"The MILF elements there connived with a terrorist group in setting up an ambush plot on unsuspecting Marines out on a mission to rescue a kidnapped Italian priest," she said. "The punitive is not on the MILF but on a terrorist band."
Macapanton described it as "superfluous" for the MILF to claim that government soldiers failed to coordinate with their combatants in Basilan.
She questioned why government forces needed to coordinate with the MILF "when they are not supposed to be there in the first place."
Macapanton believes there is something "fishy" in the movement of the MILF in Basilan.
"It is suspicious and their alliance with Abu Sayyaf made them legitimate targets of the government campaign against terrorists," she said.
Macapanton said the government is clear about its option and the counter-measures it is taking against the "rouge MILF elements and the Abu Sayyaf that treacherously ambushed and beheaded and mutilated the casualties of the Philippine Marines."
She said what their group understands of the government position is that the Armed Forces will focus its campaign solely in Basilan.
"This is purely military and police action aimed at decimating the terrorist forces specifically in Tipo- tipo, Basilan," she said.
Macapanton is convinced that it will be "unfortunate" if the mainstream MILF forces will join the fray.
"It will be for the good of everyone and the stakeholders in Mindanao if the Philippine government and the MILF peace negotiators will continue to pursue their goals for a stable peace accord even in the specter of armed confrontation," she said.
"No one wants this conflict except for those who relish the atmosphere of war. Their numbers are few and inconsequential to sacrifice the gains that the peace-talks had already achieved," added Macapanton.
In the meantime however, she said those savages who waylaid the Marines must be made answerable to their crime.
She said to allow them a holiday for their savagery will be to invite more aggression elsewhere. "And that elsewhere maybe closer to our doors the next time. Basilan will be an acid test for the human security act," said Macapanton.
