COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 13, 2008) – The influential Organization of the Islamic Conference has appealed to the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to end clashes in Mindanao and resume peace talks in the restive region.
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the OIC Secretary General, also expressed deep concern about the increasing deterioration of the situation in the southern Philippines where fighting between security and rebel forces have displaced as many as half a million people since peace talks collapsed in August.
He said the continued military operation has severely affected civilians in Mindanao.
Peace talks, brokered by Malaysia, were suspended by President Gloria Arroyo after rebel forces attacked civilian targets in Mindanao over the failed signing in August of a Muslim territorial deal with the MILF, the country's largest Muslim rebel group which is fighting for decades for self-determination in the southern Philippines.
The Supreme Court declared the land deal, which would have created the so-called Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, unconstitutional. The controversial deal also sparked massive protests from politicians and residents opposed to the ancestral domain agreement.
Arroyo has scrapped the deal which the government and rebel peace negotiators initially signed in July in Malaysia.
She also disbanded the government peace panel negotiating with rebels and demanded the MILF to surrender three commanders – Ameril Kato, Abdullah Macapaar and Sulayman Pangalian – who led the deadly attacks in at least 3 provinces in central Mindanao.
Manila has put up a P10 million bounties each for the capture of Macapaar, Kato and Pangalian. Arroyo said the government would only return to the peace talks if the MILF surrenders the three rebel commanders.
Ihsanoglu appealed to Arroyo to "rapidly return to the negotiating table" in order to work out creative solutions matching agreements with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the requirements of the Supreme Court.
"The uninterrupted military operations have resulted in the displacement of more than half a million civilians who live in shelters in dire conditions," Ihsanoglu said as he warned that this situation empowers undisciplined elements who seek to abort the peace process and fuel extremist feelings.
He urged Manila and the MILF to save the peace process from sliding into further deterioration and resume negotiations while continuing to work in the same positive spirit that led to the accomplishments made so far through negotiations and build upon these achievements in a bid to reach the just and durable peace desired by all.
Ihsanoglu expressed optimism the leaderships of the negotiating parties have a sense of wisdom and responsibility to work together in order to find a proper way out of this crisis which threatens to thwart the peace process.
Fierce fighting between Filipino troops and Muslim rebels continue in Mindanao, according to Mohagher Iqbal, chief MILF peace negotiator. "There is fighting going in Lanao del Sur and other parts of Mindanao. But we support the calls of the OIC to end these fighting and resume the peace talks with the Philippine government," he told the Mindanao Examiner.
Iqbal said the MILF has not abandoned the peace talks, but Arroyo. "We have never abandoned the peace talks. We are always for peace and the MILF appreciates the concerns of the OIC and other international groups and countries supporting the peace process in Mindanao," he said.
But Iqbal said hopes of resuming the peace talks with Arroyo are unlikely because of the continued military operation. "With this situation in Mindanao, there is little hope in continuing the peace talks," he said.
The MILF earlier said it would only resume peace talks if Arroyo honors the territorial homeland deal that would grant a separate homeland to over four million Muslims across more than 700 villages in Mindanao. Malaysia has previously accused the Arroyo government of delaying the peace negotiations. (Mindanao Examiner)
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