Nur Misuari Joins Political Race In Southern Philippines

JOLO ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 20 Mar) – Detained Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari arrived here on Tuesday and filed his candidacy for the gubernatorial elections in May.

A court in Manila permitted Misuari, who is facing rebellion charges, to Jolo, but has been ordered to return later in the day. Security was tight during Misuari’s visit. He was escorted by soldiers and policemen to prevent his followers from springing him.

It was unknown whether Misuari would run as independent candidate. Manila, whom he accused of reneging on the peace accord, is unlikely to support him.

"It is better for him to just abandon his political plan. He is in under detention and can not even campaign. He better attend to his rebellion case and the deteriorating MNLF organization," Ibrahim Sahalul, a former rebel, told the Mindanao Examiner.

Many former rebels wanted Misuari to abandon his plan and instead work for his own release and strengthen the MNLF organization, which is now fragmented by squabbles and infighting among leaders.

Misuari is now under house arrest.

The MNLF rebels signed a peace agreement with Manila in September 1996. After the peace agreement was signed, Misuari, became the governor of the Muslim autonomous region. But despite the agreement, there was a widespread disillusionment with the weak autonomy they were granted.

Under the peace agreement, Manila would provide a mini-Marshal Plan to spur economic development in Muslim areas in the south and livelihood and housing assistance to tens of thousands of former rebels to uplift their poor living standards.

Many MNLF members were disgruntled with the peace deal, saying, the Arroyo government failed to comply with some of its provisions and uplift their standards of living. They accused Manila of failing to develop the war-torn areas in the south.

And in November 2001, on the eve of the elections in the Muslim autonomous region, Misuari accused the government of reneging on the peace agreement, and launched a new rebellion in Jolo island and Zamboanga City, where more than 100 people were killed.

Misuari then escaped by boat to Malaysia, but had been arrested and deported to the Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)