Wednesday, December 27, 2006 MILF thanks MNLF for advice By Gandhi C. Kinjiyo
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front has expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Moro National Liberation Front for a well meaning but unsolicited advice the latter recently extended to the group.
The MNLF earlier warned the MILF negotiating panel to "be cautious and not be deceived by 'language engineering' in dealing with the government" on the ongoing RP-MILF peace talks.
The reaction was posted in the MILF's website www.luwaran.com dated December 22.
In thanking the MNLF, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal also gave assurance that they would be cautious and that they are also wary of the "dismal track record" of the Philippine government in terms of compliance to peace pact commitments.
Iqbal was reacting to the "warning" sounded of by MNLF spokesman Absalon Cervesa during the 11th Bangsamoro Peoples Congress held at Camp Nurbalam in Pikit, North Cotabato early this month.
Cervesa said the provisional government for the Bangsamoro, which the government should have implemented already as stipulated in the 1996 Jakarta Peace Accord, was not realized, "instead it (government) gave the Bangsamoro people the Southern Philippine Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD), which had no power at all and was already dissolved."
Iqbal, however, said the present peace panel of the government is composed of honorable men and women who are more like friends rather than adversary across the negotiating table.
