SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines, 1 June 2005 — The leader of Muslim separatists in the southern Philippines said yesterday his group was open to political solutions other than an independent Islamic state to end a long-running insurgency.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim told a rare news conference after a three-day guerrilla assembly that the MILF was looking at experiences of minorities in other countries to see how Filipino Muslims can accommodate their aspirations for self-rule.

Speaking ahead of a resumption next month of Malaysian-brokered peace talks with the Philippine government, Murad said the present degree of autonomy — which includes separate schools and local political and security arrangements — has not worked.

“We are open to discuss federalism, we are open to discuss free state, we’re open to discuss any other form of governance,” he said. “But until we have conducted extensive and comprehensive consultation among the Bangsamoro people ... that’s the only way we can arrive at a position.”

Murad said the MILF is very optimistic it could soon forge a political deal with the Arroyo government to put an end to the more than three decades of hostilities in the southern Philippines that left hundreds of thousands dead.

“Peace is almost at hand. After decades of unrelenting struggle, our flickering hope for a just and comprehensive political solution to the Bangsamoro problem is rekindled. Our legitimate aspiration for a rightful place in our society has once again assumed its proper shape.”

“Our life-long dream to establish and develop our homeland as a permanent legacy to the next generation of Bangsamoro people, and the generation after that, which they can call their own, will soon — insha’allah (God willing) — become a reality,” said Murad, whose speech was several times interrupted because of wild cheers from rebels chanting “Allahu Akbar...Allahu Akbar.”

He also denounced terrorism and vowed to cooperate with the government to protect the peace talks.

“Terrorism has no place in us and sincere cooperation between the MILF and the government is needed to protect the peace talks. We denounce terrorism and violence,” he said.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu earlier told reporters that the MILF and government are near to signing a peace accord, adding, both sides have already agreed on several crucial issues, including the coverage of a proposed ancestral domain.

The two groups met last in Malaysia last month and the peace talks centered on the ancestral domain, which is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the MILF can reach a political settlement. Ancestral domain refers to the MILF demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland.

“We are optimistic about the peace talks and we are now near into signing an agreement that would finally put an end to the hostilities in the southern Philippines and give the Muslim and the indigenous people what they have longed for, a land they can now call their own. This is a real breakthrough in the peace process.”

“Government and rebel peace negotiators are now discussing how the Muslim would govern these places. They have already agreed on several important issues centered on the ancestral domain — its concept, territories and resources, and now we will negotiate about how we will govern these places,” Kabalu said.

The presidential adviser on the peace process, Teresita Deles, said in a separate news conference that although talks are being held in the context of the constitution, the charter could be amended to satisfy Muslims’ demands.

She also praised the MILF’s political maturity.

The rebels have been fighting since the 1970s to establish a separate Islamic state in the southern Philippines, where Roman Catholics are a majority. Peace talks have been complicated by accusations that some of the group’s local commanders have ties with Muslim militants from Al-Qaeda-linked groups Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf.

At a meeting in Malaysia last month, the two sides made progress on resolving Muslims’ territorial rights claims — the first tangible result in years of negotiations. Neither side has detailed the progress.

Murad said that during the negotiations — which he described as being “in the final stretch” — the MILF had agreed to remain silent on independence and limit the talks to the ambit of the Philippine Constitution.