ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 01 Feb) Military and Muslim rebel leaders on Wednesday agreed to halt bloody clashes that already killed more than a dozen people and forced some 20,000 civilians to flee their homes in Maguindanao province, a stronghold of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), south of the Philippines.
Military and MILF leaders agreed to deploy a joint cease-fire monitoring team and peace keepers in the province to prevent hostilities from breaking out between soldiers and rebels.
At least 13 security members and rebels had been killed in the fighting -- triggered by a land conflict -- in four villages in Datu Unsay town since last week, the MILF said.
The MILF is also opposing a provincial government road construction project in the town it said would encroach into their territory.Once completed, the road project will connect the towns of Shariff Aguak and South Upi and will benefit thousands of farmers in the areas.
"We agreed to a truce. The MILF and the military are putting up a joint cease-fire monitoring team to prevent clashes between our forces," Eid Kabalu, an MILF spokesman, told the Zamboanga Journal.
The Moro-Christian Peoples’ Alliance (MCPA), an umbrella organization of Muslim rights groups, has expressed concerns the continued fighting in Maguindanao would put the peace talks between the government and MILF in jeopardy.
But Maj. Gen. Agustin Dema-ala said the fighting was an isolated incident and will not affect the peace process. "The fighting was only an isolated incident and will not affect the peace talks. We are working closely with the government and MILF cease-fire committees and the international truce observers to prevent skirmishes between soldiers and rebels," he said in a separate interview.
Dema-ala said the fighting escalated after some 200 rebels marched into villages in Datu Unsay town, sparking skirmishes with government militias, and attacking soldiers sent to pacify the battle.
"They attacked our security forces and soldiers only retaliated in self-defense. Now, we are trying to put everything back to its normal place, the refugees, about 20,000 of them, are still scattered in the town."
"We have deployed peace keeping forces, comprising of soldiers and MILF liaison, in the town, and we hope there will be no more fighting," Dema-ala said.
President Gloria Arroyo opened peace talks in 2001 with the MILF, the country's largest separatist rebel group fighting for an independent Muslim state in the southern region, in an effort to put an end to more than three decades of fighting in Mindanao.
Military and MILF leaders agreed to deploy a joint cease-fire monitoring team and peace keepers in the province to prevent hostilities from breaking out between soldiers and rebels.
At least 13 security members and rebels had been killed in the fighting -- triggered by a land conflict -- in four villages in Datu Unsay town since last week, the MILF said.
The MILF is also opposing a provincial government road construction project in the town it said would encroach into their territory.Once completed, the road project will connect the towns of Shariff Aguak and South Upi and will benefit thousands of farmers in the areas.
"We agreed to a truce. The MILF and the military are putting up a joint cease-fire monitoring team to prevent clashes between our forces," Eid Kabalu, an MILF spokesman, told the Zamboanga Journal.
The Moro-Christian Peoples’ Alliance (MCPA), an umbrella organization of Muslim rights groups, has expressed concerns the continued fighting in Maguindanao would put the peace talks between the government and MILF in jeopardy.
But Maj. Gen. Agustin Dema-ala said the fighting was an isolated incident and will not affect the peace process. "The fighting was only an isolated incident and will not affect the peace talks. We are working closely with the government and MILF cease-fire committees and the international truce observers to prevent skirmishes between soldiers and rebels," he said in a separate interview.
Dema-ala said the fighting escalated after some 200 rebels marched into villages in Datu Unsay town, sparking skirmishes with government militias, and attacking soldiers sent to pacify the battle.
"They attacked our security forces and soldiers only retaliated in self-defense. Now, we are trying to put everything back to its normal place, the refugees, about 20,000 of them, are still scattered in the town."
"We have deployed peace keeping forces, comprising of soldiers and MILF liaison, in the town, and we hope there will be no more fighting," Dema-ala said.
President Gloria Arroyo opened peace talks in 2001 with the MILF, the country's largest separatist rebel group fighting for an independent Muslim state in the southern region, in an effort to put an end to more than three decades of fighting in Mindanao.
No comments:
Post a Comment