ZAMBOANGA CITY, 18 February 2006 - Detained Philippine Muslim leader Nur Misuari has been elected chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), according to one of the members of the Council of 15 that ousted him from that position five years ago.
Muslimen Sema, the secretary-general of the MNLF, said efforts are now underway to reorganize the former rebel group that signed a peace agreement with Manila in September 1996.
“Nur Misuari is indispensable in the search for peace in Mindanao and it is also the clamor of the Muslim people that Nur Misuari leads the MNLF again,” Sema, also the mayor of Cotabato City, told Arab News.
The Council of 15 ousted Misuari, then governor of the four-province Muslim autonomous region, in April 2001 after accusing him of failing to uplift the poor condition of many Muslims in Mindanao.
Sema was among those who ousted Misuari along with senior MNLF leaders led by Parouk Hussin, Yusop Jikiri, Hatimil Hassan, Abdul Sahrin, Alfatah Abubakar, Uttoh Salem and Manda Amilhamsa, and seven other state chairmen.
Defending the council’s action the, Sema yesterday said: “The burden had its toll on Nur Misuari at that time because of his busy governance in the Muslim autonomous region.”
Despite his ouster, Sema’s group made Misuari chairman emeritus of the MNLF.
Sema said the MNLF Central Committee agreed to dissolve the Council of 15 and for Misuari to take over again and work for the unification of tens of thousands of members across the southern Philippines.
He said the unification of all MNLF factions was made possible because of the continued suffering of the Muslims in Mindanao and that the 1996 peace accord is a farce.
“All MNLF elements are one in saying that the implementation of the 1996 peace agreement is a farce and far from what was envisioned of it. It is now up to government whether to recognize the new MNLF and work together to bring peace and harmony, and development in Mindanao. We will work gradually again for peace and development” he said.
Sema said the MNLF would also consult with the influential Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to which the former separatist rebel group is a permanent observer about their decision.
“The first thing we will do now is to put the MNLF as one organization and remove all the problems that beset the MNLF organization, and get our acts together and search for peace. We decided finally to bring back the MNLF again as one organization under one leadership,” he said.
The decision to bring back Misuari was the result of a series of meetings and consultation since 2004 with the MNLF leaders and members, and other organizations that split with the MNLF, including the Sabah-based Islamic Command Council and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The MNLF has repeatedly appealed to President Gloria Arroyo to free Misuari, who is facing rebellion charges after a failed uprising in Jolo island and Zamboanga that left more than 100 dead in Jolo in late 2001.
The 65-year old Misuari is currently undergoing medical examination and treatment at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Manila’s suburb of Quezon City, after he complained of chest pains.
A court granted Misuari 10-day medical pass together with his close associate Abuhari Usman on Jan. 24 and extended this because of their condition.
On Friday, Makati Regional Trial Court has ordered a reinvestigation of the rebellion charges against the two.
Judge Sixto Marella Jr. suspended court proceedings for 60 days to allow the Department of Justice (DoJ) to look into the case again.
Once the preliminary investigation begins, Misuari and Usman will submit their counter-affidavits. It will be up to the DoJ to determine if the case will still be pursued or not.
