COTABATO CITY, 1 March 2004 — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) yesterday said it is prepared to sign a peace deal with the government anytime, “provided that it will answer to the root cause of the Bangsamoro peoples’ centuries old problem.”
“Resolving the Mindanao conflict through peaceful dialogue is our standing commitment and part of our existing policy,” MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu told Arab News when asked about his organization’s determination to forge a peace agreement with the Manila government.
Peace talks started in 1997 but got derailed in 2000 when then President Estrada launched an all-out war against the MILF. President Gloria Arroyo resumed the talks when she assumed power in 2001. A fragile truce had been in place, although it had been repeatedly disrupted. Both sides have blamed each other for the violations.
Kabalu said that for a peace agreement to be acceptable in particular to the MILF and to the Bangsamoro people at-large, it “must not be imposed.”
He noted that the Bangsamoro people and civil society groups have been calling for a “referendum” supervised by the United Nations to end the conflict in Mindanao.
“Such formula will likely acceptable to the MILF, which could still be possible before May 2004,” he added.
Earlier, US charge d’affaires Joseph Mussomeli that the MILF stands to lose an economic development assistance being offered by Washington for conflict-affected in Mindanao if no peace deal is signed soon. Mussomeli also warned that the US government would label the MILF as a terrorist organization if it does not cut its deal with the Jemaah Islamiyah and Al-Qaeda.
Kabalu said such as “carrot and stick” will not contribute anything positive to the peace process.
Even the governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), senatorial candidate Parouk Hussin, said Mussomeli’s statement was “not a good approach” in addressing the legitimate grievances of the Bangsamoro people.
