JEDDAH, 28 May 2006 — The head of the fact-finding mission dispatched to the Philippines by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday expressed optimism that jailed Filipino Muslim leader Nur Misuari would be released soon.

At a press conference yesterday, envoy Sayed Kassem El-Masry said the mission he led has sought the release of Misuari so that he could lead the delegation of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in a tripartite meeting with the Philippine government and the OIC in Jeddah, probably in July.

El-Masry said the tripartite meeting was among the points he had agreed upon with Philippine leaders when his team visited the Philippines two weeks ago to review the implementation and status of the 1996 peace agreement between Manila and the MNLF.

El-Masry met Misuari, who had been in prison since 2002, at the residential house he was transferred to before the arrival of the mission as a gesture of good will.

During his travels in the Muslim-populated south where armed unrest was taking place especially in Sulu, El-Masry said he observed the poor conditions there. The OIC mission, accompanied by government peace negotiators, visited the strongholds of Misuari’s armed fighters in the interior villages of Jolo Island and held discussions with rebel leaders. Negotiations which followed resulted in the two sides agreeing to stop all military activity indefinitely, and a detailed agreement is being drafted.

Returning to Manila, the mission met with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo and presented their findings. They agreed on the need to have the tripartite meeting.

El-Masry also sought the release of Misuari to lead the MNLF team in the tripartite meeting in July.

Arroyo promised to seek Misuari’s release within the Philippine judicial framework.

After signing a peace accord with the government of then President Fidel Ramos on Sept. 2, 1996, Misuari was elected governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). He had a falling out with Manila in 2001, however, and Arroyo — who became the president during that year — sided with a group of MNLF leaders who ousted Misuari as their chairman. The group led by Dr. Parouk Hussin was later dropped by Arroyo during the ARMM’s 2005 election in favor of a traditional politician from Maguindanao province.

After his falling out with Manila in late 2001, Misuari’s fighters in Jolo attacked government forces, resulting in more than 100 people being killed from both sides. When the uprising was quelled, Misuari fled to Malaysia’s eastern state of Sabah, where he was ordered arrested and later deported to Manila. Misuari was subsequently charged in court with rebellion and remained incarcerated at a police camp south of Manila, until the OIC mission came.

Arroyo’s government, however, has acknowledged that Misuari is needed for the achievement of peace in Mindanao.

In her meeting with El-Masry’s group, Arroyo agreed to the early resolution of the pending case against Misuari.

She also asked the OIC to help bring about reconciliation between the MNLF and the Moro Islamic National Front (MILF), a splinter group which became the dominant Muslim armed group after many of the MNLF’s members were absorbed into the Philippine military and police.

In a joint press communiqué, the OIC mission and the Philippine government also agreed to revitalize efforts to bring peace to the Bangsamoro People especially in Mindanao, and create the proper conditions for eradicating terrorism. The Philippines will also continue to seek its bid for observer status in the OIC.

El-Masry earlier expressed his concern over the slow implementation of the 1996 peace accord, which Manila has acknowledged.

Asked about Arroyo’s invitation during her visit to Saudi Arabia for Arab businessmen to invest in the Philippines, El-Masry said that poverty in the Muslim areas in the Philippines is endemic that the difference between the Muslim areas and the non-Muslim areas is huge. He noted that non-Muslim countries and organizations tend to build institutions such as hospitals and schools.

“We should reconsider the form of aid we provide. Instead of cash it should be more tangible and organized,” he said.