ZAMBOANGA CITY, 7 March 2008 — Thousands of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters are expected to gather in the southern Philippines to discuss the slow progress of the peace talks with Manila.
MILF leaders previously appealed to their fighters and supporters for patience as the talks stalled over demands for a separate Muslim homeland in the strife-torn, but mineral-rich region of Mindanao.
“We will consult with out members and discuss many things, especially the stalled peace talks,” Mohagher Iqbal, chief MILF peace negotiator, said.
The MILF, the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, accused Manila of reneging on its commitment after peace talks failed in September in Malaysia, which is brokering the negotiations. Iqbal described the gathering, which will begin over the weekend, as a “rare opportunity to let the Muslims know the progress in the seven-year old peace talks.”
In 2004, the MILF also held a plenum in Sultan Kudarat province, drawing close to about three million Muslims demanding independence in Mindanao. Iqbal said the Philippine peace panel last year agreed on the scope of the Muslim ancestral domain, but later reneged on the accord that will constitute a separate homeland for Muslims and indigenous tribal peoples in Mindanao.
“This ugly turn of event in the peace process is taxing the patience of the MILF and the Bangsamoro people, who may be compelled to resort to other means, pacific or otherwise, of resolving the Mindanao conflict when they are pushed to the wall and become hopeless in the present peace process,” Iqbal said.
The MILF said government negotiators headed by Rodolfo Garcia completely disregarded the agreement on the ancestral domain and insisted again that the granting of homeland to Muslims in Mindanao would solely be through Constitutional process which the rebel group previously opposed. But the Philippine Constitution prohibits the dismembering of the country. “This stance of the GRP peace panel has virtually jeopardized the integrity of the peace process and to continue with the talks would virtually turn it into a circus,” Iqbal said.
Analysts fear that Arroyo or her allies in the House of Representatives might use the peace talks with the MILF as an excuse to amend the Constitution to change the system of government from presidential to parliamentary or federalism to allow the MILF to have a separate state and eventually prolong her into power beyond 2010.
Mohammad Ameen, a senior rebel leader, has said the MILF will only sign a peace deal with Arroyo government if it establishes genuine governance for Muslims either in the form of “state” or “sub-state.”
The MILF earlier warned that hostilities may erupt in Mindanao if the peace talks fail or if Malaysia pulls out its truce observers from the International Monitoring Team in Mindanao, whose 16 million populations included four million Muslims.
The IMT is composed of 41 officers from the Malaysian Defense Forces, the Royal Malaysia Police, and the Prime Minister’s Department and is also supported by 10 military officers from Brunei Darussalam and 5 from Libya. Japan also has a member in the IMT.
Senators, meanwhile, expressed concern over last month’s visit of US Ambassador Kristie Kenney to the main camp of the MILF.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said he has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) if Kenney’s visit had its approval, but has not gotten any response until now.
On Feb. 19, Kenney, escorted by American security personnel and aid officials, visited the MILF’s Camp Darapanan and met with Chairman Murad Ebrahim and members of the group’s central committee.
Pimentel said that, while Kenney’s visit did not violate any specific law, it is “diplomatic practice” to seek the permission of the host when foreign diplomats travel around a country.
“It is part of (diplomatic) custom and tradition that has ripened into an enforceable practice...It is unusual for any ambassador of any accredited country to just go to any rebel camp to talk with a rebel leader,” he said.
Normally, Pimentel said, such visits are cleared with the DFA or the Office of the president.
“What if the Chinese ambassador met with ... Murad? The issue I’m trying to raise is, the US is our ally ... why does it treat us as if we are still a colony?” the Senate minority leader asked.
Sen. Rodolfo Biazon had stronger words on Kenney’s visit to the MILF camp, calling it possible “interference” in the country’s internal affairs.
“Remember, even while we are already talking peace with MILF, they are still considered enemy of the state. There could possibly be the question of interference,” he said.
Biazon, who chairs the Senate committee on national defense and security, said at least two questions need to be answered about that visit: Whether US forces provided security for the ambassador, and whether there was coordination or authority from the Philippine government for Kenney’s meeting with Murad.
Biazon said that from his own personal inquiries, Kenney coordinated with the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. “But is that a sufficient level of authority for (such) a serious affair?” Biazon asked. (Additional input from Inquirer News Service)
