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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
RP still optimistic with MILF peace talks
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Philippine government has expressed optimism that it would find a way to break the impasse in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In other development, the MILF leadership clarified that they are always prepared for any eventualities but they are not gearing for new rounds of armed conflict with the government.
Manila began peace negotiations with the MILF in 2001, but both sides, except for a ceasefire agreement, have signed no major accord. Moreover, many rebels are slowly losing their patience on the five-year old peace talks.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said "new perspectives" are being studied to break the impasse on the issue of ancestral domain in the peace talks with the MILF.
Dureza, who is in Madrid, Spain where he is meeting with other international peace negotiators, admitted that the impasse is "serious" but a peaceful settlement could still be achieved "provided both sides are determined to mutually seek peace."
"Looking for the way is what this is all about. It may not be easy. But President (Gloria Macapagal-) Arroyo and the whole nation are determined to seek the path to peace," he said.
He said the government peace panel headed by Silvestre Afable Jr. is back to the drawing board and studying options upon orders of President Arroyo.
Dureza also said while the Philippines' case is unique, the experiences of other nations in similar cases could be "insightful".
He said what is significant is that even if there is an impasse, the ceasefire is holding with the help of international peace monitors from Malaysia and development initiatives with the MILF are underway.
In Manila, President Arroyo said the peace talks may be discussed when Brunei Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah arrives in the Philippines in November for the World Pool Championship.
Murad Ebrahim, the MILF chieftain, said the talks are now passing "a turbulent area" and that the Filipino government must take responsibility for the breakdown of the negotiations.
This signals that we are now on the danger zone of the peace talks," Ebrahim said, referring to the failure of the negotiations on September 9 held in Malaysia, which is brokering the peace talks.
The MILF has rejected Manila's offer for a limited autonomy in the mineral-rich, but restive Mindanao Island, home to about four million Muslims who want a separate Islamic state.
Mohager Iqbal, the head of the MILF peace panel, said the Philippine government offered them the 5-province Muslim autonomous region and 613 other Muslim villages in exchange for a peace deal.
"They offered the MILF the whole of the Muslim autonomous region and 613 other Muslim villages scattered in Mindanao, but all these are subject to Philippine legislation. The offer is just like a leopard skin and we did not agree with it."
The Muslim autonomous region is composed of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi -- which are among the poorest in the country torn by strife and clan wars since its creation in 1989.
The MILF previously proposed that the Muslims be given an option to choose in a referendum whether they wanted Mindanao to be an independent state or not.
The ancestral domain covers the five Muslim autonomous provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. And other areas in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces where there are large communities of Muslims and indigenous tribes.
Meanwhile, MILF's spokesman Eid Kabalu clarified that "preparedness is built in" in their organization but added that they are not at war with the government.
Kabalu issued the clarification following reports that the MILF has already advised its members to "prepare for war". He assured that there will be no MILF-initiated attacks.
He also clarified reports of encounter with government forces in Maguindanao on Monday.
Soldiers pursuing a target in Matanog, Maguindanao, Monday ended injuring five civilians inside a mosque in what was initially reported as an attack by the soldiers on members of the MILF who were praying.
Reports reaching Sun.Star said faithfuls were praying in the mosque, when the soldiers from the Army's 37th Infantry Battalion arrived around 12 noon in Bugasan Sur.
Kabalu said that there were no MILF rebels in the area when the incident happened. He said the soldiers were apparently running after lawless elements in the area but there no MILF forces around or an encounter.
But Von Al Haq, chairman of the MILF ceasefire monitoring team said what took place was not only a serious violation of the nine-year-old ceasefire accord but a total disrespect and attack to Islam much more that it happened during the month of Ramadhan.
The government team however, explained that the soldiers were conducting security patrol when they encountered 10 lawless elements that resulted to the firing. (With reports from Ben Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao, JMR/Sunnex)
(October 4, 2006 issue)
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