MAGUINDANAO (Juan Magtanggol / 11 Dec) – Peace talks between the Philippines and the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, are set to resume early next year after both sides ended a meeting in Malaysia.
Mohager Iqbal, the MILF chief peace negotiator, said praised the resumption of the talks, saying, the next round of meeting would probably be on the Muslim ancestral domain.
“We are always optimistic and we agreed to resume the peace talks early next year in Kuala Lumpur. We may discuss the issue on ancestral domain,” Iqbal told the Mindanao Examiner.
Malaysia is brokering peace talks between the Filipino government and the MILF, but negotiations ended in September in Kuala Lumpur with both sides failing to sign any agreement on the most contentious issue -- ancestral domain.
Ancestral domain refers to the rebel 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.
Manila opened up peace talks in 2001 with the MILF, which is fighting for independence in the troubled, but mineral-rich Mindanao island in the southern Philippines.
Government peace negotiators previously offered the MILF the Muslim autonomous region, which is composed of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi which are among the poorest in the country torn by strife and clan wars since its creation in 1989.
The ancestral domain covers the whole of Muslim autonomous region and other areas in Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces where there are large communities of Muslims and indigenous tribes. And even Palawan Island in central Philippines.
Peace talks between the government and MILF started in January 1997, but the absence of a neutral third party bogged down the initiative. It was only on March 24, 2001, after the all-out war against the MILF declared by former President Joseph Estrada that Malaysia, at the behest of the Philippine government, facilitated the talks.
However, in February 2003, despite the avowed all-peace policy of President Gloria Arroyo, an all-out war was again declared against the rebels, but both sides later agreed to resume talks.
President George Bush said the United States is willing to pour more development aid in Mindanao should the MILF signed a peace deal with Manila, a key U.S. ally in the global war on terrorism.
The MILF also praised Bush for his commitment to Mindanao.
“This is the first time in any peace engagement in the Philippines that the United States government and its top political leaders show deep concern at solving the centuries-old problem in Mindanao,” Muhammad Ameen, a member of the MILF central committee, said.
The MILF, quoting reports, said Bush gave the assurance when he accepted the credentials of the new Filipino ambassador to the United States, Willy Gaa, at the White House, recently.
“The United States is committed to fostering a climate of peace in Mindanao, and stand ready to provide quick-disbursing assistance once an agreement is signed with the MILF,” Bush said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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