Friday, May 23, 2008 MNLF to gov't: allow us to govern autonomous region By Bong Garcia
THE Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has called on the National Government to give way for them to govern the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) as elections here is more than two months away.
The Armm election is scheduled on August 11. The more than 1.4 million voters in the region's six provinces and one city are to elect a regional governor, vice-governor, and a 24-seat Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA).
The call was made by the MNLF during a "fruitful meeting" held on Monday under the auspices of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation in Tripoli, Libya between the MNLF leaders and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza, representing the government.
A joint statement dated Tuesday released through the Philippine Information Agency disclosed the MNLF also "expressed their concern regarding the slow pace of the implementation of the final peace agreement of 1996."
Despite their concern, however, the MNLF expressed their appreciation on the initiative of the National Government on its plan to establish a federal system and urged "to involve the MNLF in this political exercise."
The MNLF also welcomed the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation that resulted in the release of Nur Misuari and called upon the government to issue a general amnesty for all MNLFs accused of rebellion.
For his part, Dureza emphasized the commitment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to continue the peace process and full implementation of peace agreement 1996.
Dureza promised during the meeting to convey the MNLFs concerns to President Arroyo.
Before Monday's fruitful meeting, MNLF leaders have come up with a 13-point agreement with the noble aim of achieving unification, reconciliation, and solidarity.
The agreement was reached during the two-day meeting from Saturday until Sunday in Tripoli, Libya on invitation of Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation.
Part of the 13-point agreement is the creation of the unification committee composed of six MNLF leaders namely Muslimin Sema, Nur Misuari, Alvarez Isnaji, Yusop Jikiri, Dr. Parouk Hussin and Mujahab Hashim, which is the sole legitimate body of the MNLF. It is the only one authorized to enter into any negotiation and agreement.
The committee shall be the one to agree on the appropriate way of resolving leadership crisis through democratic process before the end of June this year.
Also, the committee shall undertake discussions in order to consolidate the peace process between the government and the MNLF, including the issues of empowerment, both economic and political, particularly the Armm governance.
