A member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front reads the Koran inside a rebel camp in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / June 8, 2012) – The Philippines’ largest Muslim rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Friday said the recently concluded peace talks with Manila was tough, but renewed its demand for a Muslim sub-state in the southern region of Mindanao.
Mohagher Iqbal, chief MILF peace negotiator, said the recently concluded peace talks in Malaysia, which is brokering the negotiations, ended without any accord.
“We did not release any joint communiqué and it speaks of the toughness of the peace talks,” Iqbal told the Mindanao Examiner.
But Iqbal said they would continue the talks to further refine their respective positions on substantive agenda which included power-sharing, wealth-sharing, governance, and geographical areas in the proposed new Muslim autonomous region which is part of the 10 Decision Points on Principles they signed last month.
The new Muslim autonomous region would replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) comprising of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao and Maguindanao provinces. But Manila said a new plebiscite is necessary to determine the areas that would be included in the new proposed Muslim region.
The MILF said it would not sign any peace deal with the Philippine government unless its demand for a Muslim sub-state is granted by President Benigno Aquino.
“It’s very hard to tell what the outcome of the peace talks would be. Even us is having a hard time in the peace talks because the peace panels have its own positions and we are absolute in our demand for a Bangsamoro sub-state in Mindanao,” Iqbal said.
Marvic Leonen, chief Philippine peace negotiator, who was in Zamboanga City on Friday, said the talks with the MILF are conducted within the framework of the Constitution and the principle of “consent of the governed.”
“The government’s peace negotiations with the MILF are guided by the President’s directive to work within the flexibilities of the Constitution; learn from the lessons and experiences of the past administrations; deliver viable political, economic, and social commitments in a peace agreement; and the principles of transparency and inclusivity,” he said.
Leonen met with senior military commanders in Mindanao and briefed them on the progress of the peace process. The meeting was held inside the tightly guarded Western Mindanao Command headquarters where he briefed army commanders about the peace talks, according to Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, a local army spokesman.
“Chief peace negotiator Marvic Leonen gave a briefing on the progress of the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The briefing was attended by military commanders and we are supporting the government peace talks with MILF,” Cabangbang said in an interview.
Leonen earlier briefed army and police commanders in Central Mindanao also on the progress of the peace talks and praised the military and police efforts in upholding the cease-fire accord with the MILF, which is fighting for self-determination in the troubled region.
He reiterated the primacy of the peace process and reminded the military to observe due diligence in dealing with conflicts on the ground – such as Muslim clan war, kidnappings and other criminal activities – and to be always read to enforce the law and to protect and assist communities, adding “every tactical action has its strategic repercussions.”
Leonen said the meeting with police and military commanders is part of their consultations with different stakeholders to further strengthen the government peace process in Mindanao.
“We want to make sure that a critical mass of our people will be behind us supporting the peace agreement,” he said.
Leonen said Manila wanted to ensure that any peace deal it signs with the MILF would be “inclusive, collective and democratic,” adding the final peace agreement cannot even be initialed unless it is publicized to the people. (Mindanao Examiner)
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