|
|
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Mindanao solons chide US exec on 'Afghanistan' tag (10:59 a.m.)
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Mindanao legislators slammed a United States officer who issued a warning that Mindanao could be the next Afghanistan.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in a separate interview said Mindanao will never be similar to Afghanistan unless the Americans wanted it so.
Mindanao legislators fear that the pronouncement "could be a prelude to the US deployment of combat troops to fight terrorists in Mindanao.
In separate interviews with Sun.Star, Senator Nene Pimentel, First District of Misamis Oriental Representative Danilo Lagbas and Cagayan de Oro lone district Representative Constantino Jaruala all agree that the warning aired by US embassy charge d' affaires Joseph Mussomeli is "exaggerated" and "too alarmist."
Pimentel said Mussomeli ignored the gains made by military and police forces in eliminating the local and foreign terrorists and the progress in the government-MILF peace negotiations.
"It's sad that Mussomeli's prediction that Mindanao could be the next Afghanistan. It could escalate the war in Mindanao. It is most urgent now for the Philippine government to get the US involved as broker for peace, and not as agents of war there," the senator said.
Lagbas for his part said, "That is most unfair sobra na ang pagpakaminos sa Amerikano kanato (indeed the Americans really think very little of us)."
Jaraula echoed out his opposition to Mussomeli's warning saying, "It can happen only if we tolerate abuses and the US supports divisive forces for hidden malicious agenda."
Meanwhile, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said Mussomeli pronouncement is tantamount to waging a psy-war.
Kabalu belied Mussomeli's statement that some areas of Mindanao were "so lawless, so porous the borders that you run the risk of it becoming like an Afghanistan situation."
He also denied that they are harboring terrorists linked to Jema'ah Islamiyah or the Abu Sayyaf Group. He said they welcome any investigation that would prove their innocence.
Kabalu said MILF emissaries are ready to meet with government peace negotiators from April 18 to 20 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Sunnex) |
|
|
|
