ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 02 Jun) The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Friday said it is likely to extend peace talks with Manila after rebel negotiators doubted whether a peace agreement could be signed this year.
Mohager Iqbal, chief MILF peace negotiator, said both sides may not be able to sign a deal by September because of several contentious issues on the ancestral domain and how the government and the rebel group would share natural resources in the strife-torn, but mineral-rich region.
"The ball is already in the hands of the government peace negotiators. We have submitted our position and it is all up to them. We may not be able to meet the deadline to sign the peace deal and we will ask for an extension of the peace talks. We cannot see any peace deal by September, not even this year unless the government and MILF agreed on the proposals," Iqbal told the Zamboanga Journal by phone from a rebel base in Mindanao.
Manila earlier said it would sign a peace agreement with the MILF by September or before the start of Ramadan, Islam's holiest month.
Iqbal said the MILF has submitted its proposal to the government peace negotiators, but they disagreed on the scope of coverage of the Muslim ancestral domain. "There are still some contentious issues and these are the scope of Muslim territories under the ancestral domain and how the government and the MILF would share the resources in these areas," he said.
Silvestre Afable, the head of the government peace panel, on Friday admitted difficulties in the talks, particularly in determining and the delimitation of areas to be placed under a prospective Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.
“The GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) Panel is now working closely with the pertinent government agencies to come up with clear, concrete and feasible methods of validation and we will strive to fast track the work to keep our present timeline on track, despite the delays,” he said.
Afable said both sides have agreed to conduct further ground validation and collection of additional data to guide them in the resolution of Muslim territorial issues.
In September, government and rebel peace negotiators have signed several agreements centered on the ancestral domain -- its concept, territories and resources, and how the MILF shall govern these places.
Ancestral domain refers to the MILF demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland. It is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the rebel group can reach a political settlement.
In February, peace negotiators said they reached an agreement on the ancestral domain and that they were near in signing a deal that will finally put an end to the more than three decades of bloody fighting in Mindanao.
Eid Kabalu, the MILF spokesman, said government and rebel peace negotiators have agreed on several crucial issues, including the coverage of the ancestral domain in the five Muslim autonomous provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
And other areas in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces where there are large communities of Muslims and indigenous tribes.
"We are almost there, peace is just around the corner and it is only a matter of time before a peace agreement is signed by both the peace panels. We have fulfilled the peace process," Kabalu said.
The MILF previously said it is willing to compromise if only to arrive at an acceptable, reasonable and comprehensive agreement that would include not only the Muslims, but all 18 ethnic tribal groups in Mindanao.
Kabalu said once an agreement is reached on how the MILF can govern these areas, government and rebel peace negotiators would finally discuss the political settlement of the country's longest-running Muslim insurgency problem.
Even President Gloria Arroyo said that 80% of the peace talks have been completed and that permanent peace in Mindanao is within reach. Murad Ebrahim, the MILF chieftain, said his group is willing to end hostilities in Mindanao and is sincere in the talks with the government.
But Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat previously denounced the agreement signed by the government and rebel peace negotiators that would give a homeland to the MILF.
He said the government signed a secret deal with the rebels that would allow them to establish an Islamic state across Mindanao under the guise of the so-called Muslim ancestral domain. "This is a complete sellout and we will not allow Mindanao to be dismembered, and we must act swiftly before it is too late," Lobregat said.
Mrs. Arroyo opened peace negotiations with the MILF in 2001 and Malaysia, an influential member of the Organization of Islamic Conference, is helping broker the talks in en effort to bring stability to the region. The MILF has been fighting for independence since it split with the Moro National Liberation in 1978.
Many Muslim countries, including the United States and the European Union, Canada and Australia have pledged to help in the development of Mindanao once the peace agreement is signed. The Australian Agency for International Development has already contributed over $17 million in peace and development projects in Mindanao the past seven years.
Mohager Iqbal, chief MILF peace negotiator, said both sides may not be able to sign a deal by September because of several contentious issues on the ancestral domain and how the government and the rebel group would share natural resources in the strife-torn, but mineral-rich region.
"The ball is already in the hands of the government peace negotiators. We have submitted our position and it is all up to them. We may not be able to meet the deadline to sign the peace deal and we will ask for an extension of the peace talks. We cannot see any peace deal by September, not even this year unless the government and MILF agreed on the proposals," Iqbal told the Zamboanga Journal by phone from a rebel base in Mindanao.
Manila earlier said it would sign a peace agreement with the MILF by September or before the start of Ramadan, Islam's holiest month.
Iqbal said the MILF has submitted its proposal to the government peace negotiators, but they disagreed on the scope of coverage of the Muslim ancestral domain. "There are still some contentious issues and these are the scope of Muslim territories under the ancestral domain and how the government and the MILF would share the resources in these areas," he said.
Silvestre Afable, the head of the government peace panel, on Friday admitted difficulties in the talks, particularly in determining and the delimitation of areas to be placed under a prospective Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.
“The GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) Panel is now working closely with the pertinent government agencies to come up with clear, concrete and feasible methods of validation and we will strive to fast track the work to keep our present timeline on track, despite the delays,” he said.
Afable said both sides have agreed to conduct further ground validation and collection of additional data to guide them in the resolution of Muslim territorial issues.
In September, government and rebel peace negotiators have signed several agreements centered on the ancestral domain -- its concept, territories and resources, and how the MILF shall govern these places.
Ancestral domain refers to the MILF demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland. It is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the rebel group can reach a political settlement.
In February, peace negotiators said they reached an agreement on the ancestral domain and that they were near in signing a deal that will finally put an end to the more than three decades of bloody fighting in Mindanao.
Eid Kabalu, the MILF spokesman, said government and rebel peace negotiators have agreed on several crucial issues, including the coverage of the ancestral domain in the five Muslim autonomous provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
And other areas in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces where there are large communities of Muslims and indigenous tribes.
"We are almost there, peace is just around the corner and it is only a matter of time before a peace agreement is signed by both the peace panels. We have fulfilled the peace process," Kabalu said.
The MILF previously said it is willing to compromise if only to arrive at an acceptable, reasonable and comprehensive agreement that would include not only the Muslims, but all 18 ethnic tribal groups in Mindanao.
Kabalu said once an agreement is reached on how the MILF can govern these areas, government and rebel peace negotiators would finally discuss the political settlement of the country's longest-running Muslim insurgency problem.
Even President Gloria Arroyo said that 80% of the peace talks have been completed and that permanent peace in Mindanao is within reach. Murad Ebrahim, the MILF chieftain, said his group is willing to end hostilities in Mindanao and is sincere in the talks with the government.
But Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat previously denounced the agreement signed by the government and rebel peace negotiators that would give a homeland to the MILF.
He said the government signed a secret deal with the rebels that would allow them to establish an Islamic state across Mindanao under the guise of the so-called Muslim ancestral domain. "This is a complete sellout and we will not allow Mindanao to be dismembered, and we must act swiftly before it is too late," Lobregat said.
Mrs. Arroyo opened peace negotiations with the MILF in 2001 and Malaysia, an influential member of the Organization of Islamic Conference, is helping broker the talks in en effort to bring stability to the region. The MILF has been fighting for independence since it split with the Moro National Liberation in 1978.
Many Muslim countries, including the United States and the European Union, Canada and Australia have pledged to help in the development of Mindanao once the peace agreement is signed. The Australian Agency for International Development has already contributed over $17 million in peace and development projects in Mindanao the past seven years.
1 comment:
The sooner. The better. Time is of the essence. Time will not wait for us.
Peace to all.
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