ZAMBOANGA CITY, 8 November 2003 — Optimistic that his group may soon sign a peace agreement with the Philippine government, a high official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has called on Muslims in the country to be ready to govern.
“The MILF has called on the Moro people to be ready to assume the reins of governance the moment a peace agreement is forged for the transfer of authority to the Moro,” said the MILF’s website Luwaran, quoting the Front’s deputy chief for political affairs, Ghazali Jaafar.
About five percent of the country’s more than 82 million population are Muslims, mostly scattered in poor provinces in the southern Philippines.
The MILF, which is the fighting for the establishment of an Islamic state, is currently negotiating peace with the government.
“The Moro are prepared to take a bigger role and responsibilities based on our series of consultations with the different segments of the society,” Jaafar was quoted as saying.
Jaafar did not say what mode of government would be set up in the southern Philippines, but Manila has expressed its willingness to grant wider autonomy to the Muslims. He said every proposal from the government involving the peace process has to be consulted with the members of the MILF Central Committee.
“Whatever decision would be arrived at must be the product of a consultative and collective leadership,” Jaafar said.
Government leaders were not immediately available to comment about Jaafar’s statement.
But MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said Jaafar’s statement should not be taken seriously because the peace talks are still going on and that no agreement has been signed yet. “How can you be ready if the MILF and the Philippine government have not signed a peace agreement? Peace negotiations are still ongoing and this could go on even after (President Gloria) Arroyo’s term in 2004 because this is a delicate and serious matter that has to be studied very carefully by the MILF and by the Bangsamoro people,” Kabalu told the Arab News.
Malaysia is currently brokering the peace talks between the Philippines and the MILF.
