MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 13, 2009) - The three-day third session of the tripartite talks among the government of the Philippines (GRP), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) opened in Manila with all three heads of delegations acknowledging that the Filipino people have been waiting "far too long" for peace to descend in Mindanao.
According to the official Philippine News Agency, the current session convened to evaluate the results of the joint working group meetings between the GRP and the MNLF which are being facilitated by the OIC-Peace Committee of Southern Philippines, also known as the Committee of 12 (C12) led by Indonesia. The first two sessions were held in Jeddah and Istanbul respectively.
At least five key issues are bones of contention in the protracted sessions of the GRP and MNLF, revolving mainly on the review of how the 1996 Final Peace Agreement has been implemented.
The issues include the integration of Muslims in mainstream government, the Shari'ah law and the judiciary, education and economic development.
Among others, the Agreement led to the establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), with Nur Misuari as the first governor.
But GRP panel head Nabil Tan emphasized in his opening statement that "a review is not a renegotiation but a review of how implementation has fared."
Special Envoy Sayed El-Masry of Egypt, who represented the OIC Secretary-General, agreed with Tan.
"The Bangsamoro has been looking at us for many years to help them out," Masry said, as he reiterated appreciation for President Gloria Arroyo for her efforts in achieving peace in Mindanao.
Misuari led the 200-strong MNLF delegation, but he lamented the slow implementation process of the peace accord. He said it has been 33 years since the first Agreement was brokered by Libya and 13 years since the 1996 version in Indonesia and four years since the tripartite talks were first broached in Sanna, Yemen.
Misuari lambasted what he called as "platitudes after platitudes on peace" and appealed that his listeners "search (their) conscience, to make a resolution to break the cycle of terror and war in our homeland."
Misuari declared that the current sessions "is our last chance …and if we don't succeed in peace talks…we have no choice but to…probably return to our (MNLF) message of independence."
Ambassador Masry and two other members of the OIC C12 reacted and said "that's Misuari as he is…we've heard that before."
The OIC C12, which handles the Mindanao problem and led by Indonesia, includes Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Libya, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Brunei, Bangladesh, Senegal, Pakistan and Somalia.
Other high-profile MNLF members at the sessions included former ARMM Gov. Hussein Parouk, who is the MNLF's Foreign Affairs Secretary, and Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema.
Parouk noted that peace talks "can't go on forever, but a review of the Agreement" is vital. Even during his time as ARMM governor, Parouk had vigorously espoused putting Muslims in key government institutions such as the Supreme Court.
"Definitely, there is a Muslim who is qualified to be there (SC)…as much as there have already been Muslim associate justices in the Court of Appeals and the Commission on Elections," he told the Philippines News Agency at the sidelines of the session.
"We need to review an issue in the Shari'ah law and justice system for Muslims," he said. He referred apparently to the stringent requirement that admission to the Shari'ah Bar is predicated with membership in the secular and mainstream Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
In his opening statement, Masry pointed to the urgency of getting real deals in the current sessions. "In front of us is a real clue to move forward and let not the momentum slip away from our grasp."
There is "urgency for everyone to find the courage to put substance in to the peace process," Masry emphasized. "The time is now…and I appeal to the OIC to be steadfast in their commitment."
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