Gov’t, MILF conflict best solved thru negotiations

KORONADAL CITY -- The best way to solve the conflict between government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is not by war but through negotiations, said a Bangsamoro professor in his speech.

Professor Aboud Syed Lingga's speech was one of the highlights of the Reflective Dialogue attended by 240 participants from different groups: youth, women, military, police, academe, farmers, local government units, business, non-government organizations, media, Christians, Lumads and Muslims.

Lingga is executive director of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies who presented the MILF’s position during the "Dialogue Mindanaw" Saturday at Notre Dame of Marbel University in this city.

"Dialogue Mindanaw" aimed to get the pulse of the people regarding the ongoing peace negotiations between the government and MILF.

"The conflict is sovereignty-based and not a religious conflict and that the best approach to this is through negotiations and like the government, this is what the MILF believes," Lingga said.

Lingga also called on the people, especially the Mindanaoans, to support the negotiations because he fears “that negotiating fatigue could occur between the two camps."

Dr. Ronald Adamat, who represented the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, meanwhile, reported the status of the talks since its resumption last December 8-9, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Adamat said the engagement of the international monitoring team (IMT) has been renewed and will arrive Monday in Cotabato. It will be deployed to the MILF areas.

"Both parties agreed to meet again on March 4 and 5 for the question and answer regarding the MILF's new draft," Adamat said, adding that on March 28-29, the MILF will ask the government about its draft.

"It is important that both sides learn what the other wants. It’s an evolving draft because if we make it static, paano na ang mga consultations na gaya ng Dialogue Mindanaw," Adamat said.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (Opapp) Dialogue Mindanao will resume in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on March 3. On March 6, a simultaneous Reflective Dialogues will be held in Cagayan de Oro City and San Mateo, Rizal in Luzon.

Opapp will travel to Baguio City on March 7, while "Dialogue Mindanaw" is slated to visit Bongao, Tawi-Tawi and Iligan City on March 9 and in Butuan City on March 11.

Information about 'Dialogue Mindanaw' is available at http://www.mapayapangmindanao.info, http://www.facebook.com/mapayapangmindanao and http://twitter.com/peacemindanao.

Comments on the Mindanao peace process can also be relayed through the following text lines: 0999-42-PEACE (73223) for Smart users and 0917-83-PEACE (73223) for Globe subscribers. (Press release)

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