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Saturday, May 10, 2003
Gov’t orders hardline, diplomatic campaign against Moro rebels (2:28 pm)
MANILA -- President Arroyo on Saturday ordered a hardline campaign against Moro separatists, including a diplomatic offensive to persuade Islamic nations to stop backing the guerrillas.
"We shall combine military action, stringent legal measures, full diplomatic pressure and community preparedness to bear upon the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) threat," Arroyo said in a radio address.
Her statement came after an upsurge of suspected MILF attacks in northern and western Mindanao in recent weeks that have left at least 83 people dead and hundreds wounded since March.
"I have instructed that all the terrorist acts of the MILF be fully documented and be brought before the OIC," Arroyo said, referring to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
"We will not allow the MILF to continue fooling the Islamic world (that) it is an insurgent organization with legitimate aims. It is engaged in the murder of innocent civilians," she said.
The OIC has been fostering rapprochement between Manila and the MILF and has been monitoring the situation in Mindanao where the Muslim minority lives.
On Tuesday, Arroyo canceled preliminary talks with the rebel group that were scheduled to open on Friday in Kuala Lumpur.
In her latest speech, Arroyo said the latest attacks of the MILF "were clear acts of terrorism," adding, "the leadership of the MILF must answer for these crimes."
She said it was pointless to continue talking unless the MILF showed sincerity in seeking peace.
"The MILF are wrong if they think they can get concessions in the peace talks because of these actions," Arroyo said, adding "we shall not allow the peace talks to be held hostage by the threat of terror."
In a separate radio interview, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu blamed Manila for the breakdown in the talks, saying "the government has been looking for a way out. They have really wanted to abandon the peace process."
He admitted that the MILF mounted attacks on military outposts but said reports of kidnapping and bombings of civilians were false or overblown.
The 12,500-strong MILF has been waging a 25-year campaign for an Islamic state in Mindanao. AFP
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