Friday, October 05, 2007 Truce monitor to evaluate role in GRP-MILF talks
THE Malaysian head of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) overseeing the ceasefire agreement between the Philippine government (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said they have been tasked to evaluate the ongoing role of foreign monitors and submit their report to the Malaysian government, which has been brokering the peace talks.
But Malaysian Major General Datuk Mat Yasin declined to comment on reports that the Malaysian government is poised to pullout from the peace talks after allegedly becoming impatient over the slow pace of the negotiations.
He however expressed optimism the government and the MILF will eventually forged a peace agreement.
The thorny issue of ancestral domain has stalled the peace talks and the Malaysian government was reported to have expressed concern and has allegedly threatened to pull out its monitoring team.
Malaysia is heading the 60-man international monitoring team (IMT) that also includes representatives from the Japanese, Libyan, and Brunei governments.
The mandate of the IMT was supposed to end in August this year but was reportedly extended up to August of 2008 after the Philippine government and the MILF held informal talks in Malaysia two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Edgardo Gurrea, chair of the government panel in the Committee on Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), said there has been a significant reduction of violation of the GRP-MILF ceasefire agreement.
"From 13 reported incidents of ceasefire violation last year, these have been brought down to seven as of the first semester of this year," Gurrea said in a separate interview.
He declined to give details of these reported ceasefire violations but said both parties are to be blame in most of these reported cases.
Among them is the bloody encounter in Tipo-Tipo in Basilan where 14 Marine soldiers were killed.
Gurrea also confirmed that the Malaysian-headed IMT, the fourth batch of international monitors in as many years, is here to evaluate its role in the peace process.
"Hopefully, they will be here to stay until a final peace accord is signed," the Army general said.
His counterpart in the MILF, Von Al Haq, also declined to issue any statement on the reported imminent pullout of the IMT.
The IMT began its stint here in 2003 after a ceasefire agreement was signed between the MILF and the Philippine government in 2001.
The fourth IMT contingent paid courtesy calls to local government executives in Central Mindanao Wednesday. (Sun.Star General Santos/EGE)
