Wednesday, November 22, 2006 Moro rebel group: Malaysia is capable of helping peace process
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expressed confidence on the capability of the Malaysian Government to help forge a peace accord between the Philippine Government and the MILF.
In the MILF's official website, Luwaran.com, the Muslim secessionist organization said, "The Government of Malaysia is doing an exceptional role in facilitating the current peace negotiations with the Philippine government and will continue to discharge such role until the two parties reach an agreement."
MILF Central Committee secretariat chairperson Muhammad Ameen made the disclosure amidst the international community's growing support for the peace talks in Mindanao that has already claimed the lives of more than 120,000 Filipinos since 1972.
The Malaysian Government's role in the government-MILF peace talks started when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001.
Ameen said Malaysia is doing everything to ensure the success of the peace talks including sending their own military and police, alongside Brunei, Japan and Libya contingents, to Mindanao as part of the International Monitoring Team (IMT).
Just recently, President Arroyo said US President George W. Bush promised to help in the peace process with the MILF and to rebuild war-torn Mindanao.
Bush made the commitment during the 14th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders' Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam over the weekend.
Bush reportedly assigned a US embassy official to coordinate with Secretary Silvestre Afable, the Philippine government's chief negotiator in the peace process, calling for greater US involvement in Mindanao. (BOT)
