Friday, September 05, 2008 MILF leader sees flicker of hope in peace talks By Malu C. Manar Correspondent
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- For Vice-chair for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), there is still a "flicker" of hope for the peace negotiations to push through despite the recent move of the Arroyo government to disband its peace panel.
Jaafar, in an interview over Catholic-ran dxMS in Cotabato City, said he is optimistic the National Government will reconstitute "sooner" a new panel that will continue the negotiations.
"I don't think the government, when it disbanded the peace panel, is no longer interested in trying to settle the Mindanao conflict," Jaafar said.
He added: "Dissolving a peace panel and cutting off peace talks mean different thing. A panel can be reconstituted again. I don't think that will be a problem."
But other Moro groups are not that expectant.
The militant Suara Bangsamoro, in a statement issued Thursday, said the government's move to disband the panel will lead to further escalation of conflict in Mindanao.
Suara national president Amirah Ali Lidasan said that if the government continues to disregard the peace talks, it may only show its duplicity in implementing those agreements already signed with the MILF.
"Who will really lose credibility to the international community in terms of brokering peace? With the war and chaos now happening in Mindanao, what credibility does the Arroyo administration can show to the international community?" Lidasan asked.
The militant leader also accused the government of fanning anti-Moro hysteria in Mindanao.
"The local government units and the PNP have been supplying firearms to civilians and reviving vigilante groups by rekindling the Ilaga movement and fanning anti-Muslim hysteria in the community. As a result, many houses of Muslims have been burned in North Cotabato that went unreported, and many houses in Iligan City were burned but put the blame to the MILF," said Lidasan.
She also criticized the statement made earlier by Press Secretary Jesus Dureza that the government will only negotiate peace with the MILF if it concerns disarmament, demobilization, and re-integration (DDR) of the rebel organization.
"The DDR is not a result of the promise of a compromised or negotiated settlement that has been the basis of the MILF when it decided to resume the talks with the Philippine government," Lidasan added.
