DAVAO CITY – The former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front is set to decommission soon – at least in a symbolic ceremony – its weapons as part of the peace agreement it signed last year with the Philippine government, said a senior MILF leader.
Mohagher Iqbal, who negotiated peace with Manila, said the symbolic decommissioning tentatively set on February may sound ceremonial, but it is in reality not that simple but a very “sentimental, sensitive and emotional act.”
He said the decommissioning of rebel weapons has to be parallel and commensurate to the implementation of other agreements.
But Iqbal was quick to say that the decommissioning of rebel weapons must never be equated to surrender or destruction of weapons, but that a third-party monitor – the International Decommissioning Body headed by Turkish Ambassador to Manila, Haydar Berk – would be responsible for the storage of all those weapons.
The IDB is composed of Norway, Turkey and Brunei and four other local experts nominated by the four countries.
Most of the MILF weapons are anti-tank rockets, AK-47 and M16 automatic and sniper rifles, machine guns and anti-aircraft guns, including grenade rifles and anti-tank explosives.
Iqbal said the decommissioning process would have to be parallel and commensurate to each other agreements such as the transitional components of normalization, socio-economic programs, confidence-building measures, redeployment of Philippine troops, policing, disbandment of private armies and other armed groups, transitional justice and finally reconciliation program.
Iqbal said he had written Berk about the number of MILF weapons and combatants that would be decommissioned. He said the IDB is expected to meet in Manila soon, but Iqbal is worried that there would be a delay in the decommissioning of weapons because of the unfinished implementing guidelines of the terms of reference of the IDB, which was constituted only in September last year.
Following the signing of the peace deal, the MILF has formed its own United Bangsamoro Justice Party and would join the general elections next year. (Mindanao Examiner)
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