COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 17, 2008) – Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters rejoiced Thursday as they celebrate a major deal forged by Filipino government and rebel peace negotiators that will grant local Muslims a separate homeland in Mindanao.
Peace negotiators reached an agreement on the issue of ancestral domain and both sides are discussing talks aimed at putting an end to more than four decades of hostilities in the southern region.
“MILF rebels are so happy on the progress of the peace talks and the deal on the ancestral domain. They celebrate this historic moment. This is the time for every body to rejoice,” Eid Kabalu, a senior rebel leader, told the Mindanao Examiner.
President Gloria Arroyo’s peace adviser Hermogenes Esperon said both panels have agreed on the deal at the end of a meeting late Wednesday in Malaysia, which is brokering the negotiations.
“The issue on the ancestral domain is finally settled and we now go to the final peace talks where all previous agreements will be formally signed. We have informed President Gloria Arroyo about the progress of the talks and she is very elated,” Esperon said.
Philippine authorities have blamed the MILF on the spate of bombings and attacks in Mindanao in recent months. The MILF said the attacks were carried out by rebels who were disgruntled by the slow pace of the talks.
Kabalu said the deal would lessen attacks by disgruntled rebels on government and military targets in Mindanao. “This deal on ancestral domain will definitely have an impact on some rebel commanders who are disgruntled with the slow progress of the peace talks. Definitely this will lessen rebel attacks,” he said.
“Rebel commanders are now hoping the peace talks will continue and produce good results. We want peace also to reign in our homeland,” he said.
Peace talks was stalled since September last year after both sides failed to sign any agreement on the most contentious issue — ancestral domain – which refers to the rebel demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland.
Ancestral domain is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the rebel group can reach a political settlement with the Philippine government.
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.
Kabalu said they are optimistic that the talks would lead to a peaceful solution to the Muslim secessionist problems in Mindanao.
"We have repeatedly said that we are for a peaceful solution of the problems in Mindanao. We have opened the door in order for the talks to push through and for both sides to arrive at a viable formula that will benefit us all, all for peace in Mindanao," he said in a separate interview.
"We have been longing for the realizations and conclusion on the talks on ancestral domain and peace can now take off in our homeland," Kabalu said.
Esperon has largely credited the success of the talks to the efforts of the President to bring about peace in the southern Philippines and the government and MILF peace panels, including the Cabinet and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its support to the peace process.
"The President really worked hard for the peace talks to succeed and so are our soldiers who supported the primacy of the peace process," Esperon said, adding, the peace panels would set a date for the formal signing of the agreement of the ancestral domain.
President Arroyo opened peace talks with the MILF in 2001 and vowed to forge a peace deal with the rebels before her term ends on 2010.
The MILF is fighting for the establishment of a strict Islamic state in Mindanao Island, whose 16 million populations include about 4 million Muslims.
Manila 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 MILF flatly rejected the offer and insisted on self-determination.
The MILF said it 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”.
But analysts fear that President 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.
Under the presidential form of government, Arroyo, who deposed President Joseph Estrada in a people power revolution in 2001, is allowed only one six-year term.
In the charter change proposal suggested by her political allies who dominate Congress, she can be elected as prime minister should Congress dissolve the Senate and change the system of government to parliamentary. (Mindanao Examiner)
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