Thursday, August 28, 2008 Peace monitors' pullout looms By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE International Monitoring Team (IMT), which is highly responsible in maintaining peace between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Mindanao, will end its mandate on August 31.
From the looks of it, its tour of duty might not be extended as both the Philippine government and the MILF are now locked in a battle.
MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said the MILF has yet to receive any official communication from the government through the Malaysian facilitator on the IMT mandate.
"So far there is no agreement reached by the two parties on this matter. So if we cannot extend the IMT tour of duty before it ends by August 31, 2008, then there is no choice but for them to leave," Murad said in a press conference.
Murad admitted being worried with the impending IMT pullout that may lead to the collapse of the peace process.
"We are certainly worried that if the IMT be pulled out because of the non-convening of the negotiation, then the peace process may collapse. If there will be no more IMT, then there will be no neutral body to facilitate coordination and collaboration between and among the ceasefire mechanisms on the ground, including the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of the government and MILF," said Murad.
It will also be very difficult to facilitate joint efforts in addressing situations related to the ceasefire if there is not IMT, he added.
The MILF and the government are not directly communicating. All communications must always pass through the Malaysian facilitators.
As of this writing Wednesday, the MILF have not received any communication from the Philippine government through the Malaysian government.
However, Murad said the MILF will act accordingly should there be one communication or official notice for the MILF through the secretariat.
