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Monday, October 06, 2003
Norway offers help in gov't-MILF talks
By Manuel Quirino
KORONADAL CITY -- After offering to host the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), Norway now wants to take active role in the peace process between the Arroyo administration and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In a statement posted at the MILF website Saturday, Musib Buat, head of the MILF technical committee, said Norway's possible involvement in the peace process would further boost the search for the peaceful political solution of the decades old conflict in Mindanao.
"The government of Norway wants to join in (the) peace effort for the political solution of the Mindanao problem," the statement said.
MILF chief information officer Mohagher Iqbal said Norway's possible participation in the peace process is a welcome development in line with an existing open-door policy to those groups or nations willing to help or assist in the peace process.
But Iqbal stressed that Malaysia should retain the lead mediator role among the nations that might want to participate in the peace process to resolve the conflict between the government and the MILF in Mindanao.
"Provided it (entry of other nations in the peace process) will not supplant the peace effort now in progress under the government of Malaysia," said Iqbal.
Iqbal will join the MILF peace panel during the expected resumption of the formal peace negotiations between the government and the Moro rebels this month.
The talks would be held in Malaysia, a member country of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference long involved in the peace process in Mindanao.
So far, Norway has been helping the government in striking a peace deal with the NDF, which was classified last year by the US as a terrorist organization.
Late last month, United Nation (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan also offered the body's support to the peace initiatives of the Arroyo government in Mindanao with the MILF.
Ghazali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, said Annan's offer in resolving the conflict between the government and the Moro rebels is a welcome development in the road to peace in Mindanao.
"The MILF welcomes the peace initiative offered by UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to assist in the government-MILF peace talks as alternative to war and bloodshed," Jaafar said.
Jaafar said the offer of the UN in resolving the conflict would hopefully prompt the government into implementing previous peace initiatives agreed on by the government and the MILF.
US President George W. Bush also earlier vowed to help in the peace process between the government and the MILF during the state visit of Arroyo in the White House a few months back.
He pledged to release at least $30 million for the rehabilitation and development of war torn areas in Mindanao once the government and the MILF seal a final peace agreement.
The 12,500-strong MILF is the largest Moro rebel group in the country and has been waging a secessionist war against the government since the late 1970s.
(October 6 2003 issue)
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