COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 4, 2008) – The Philippines’ largest Islamic separatist rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), ordered its forces to stay out of Filipino elections as campaign begins for the next month’s polls in the Muslim autonomous region.
Elections in the six-province autonomous region have been set in August 11 where more than one million Muslims are to elect their new set of officials. The MILF said it does not recognize the Philippine Constitution and in the past did not participate in any elections.
The MILF last month ordered rebels to refrain from participating in the polls, but renewed its calls after a purported press statement from rebel chieftain Murad Ebrahim urged Manila to postpone the ARMM elections.
“ARMM did not and cannot cater to the basic needs of the Bangsamoro people and instead has worsened their already depressed condition and added confusion to the populace,” Murad said.
The statement, allegedly signed by Ebrahim and the leader of the former rebel group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Muslimin Sema, urged President Gloria Arroyo to postpone or scrap the polls because it pose “grave obstacle” to the ongoing peace negotiations between Manila and the MILF, including the MNLF tripartite talks.
Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman, branded the press statement as fake and warned journalists to verify the authenticity of its source.
“We have not issued any statement urging the Philippine government to scrap or postpone the ARMM elections. The MILF has ordered all its members and supporters to refrain from participating in the ARMM polls and other Philippine elections,” Kabalu told the Mindanao Examiner.
Peace talks between the government and the MILF were stalled since last year over the rebel demands for ancestral lands, which is the single most contentious issue before both sides could a deal ending more than three decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner)
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