ARMM Speaker Hassan Appeals For Nur's Release

Nur Misuari

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Hader Glang / 11 Jan) Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Speaker Hatimil Hassan appealed Wednesday to President Gloria Arroyo to free former governor and Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari, who has been in jail since 2001, on rebellion charges.

"It is our most sincere wish that the government will immediately release him. The release of brother Nur from jail would do good both for the government and the MNLF," Hassan told the Zamboanga Journal here.

Hassan said the former ARMM governor could help the government solve the Mindanao problems and contribute largely for the success of the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). "Brother Nur can really reconcile the Bangasamoro people and help in the government's peace process. He can unify the people," he said.

He said although the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has not made any official intervention on behalf of Misuari, but there are many Muslim countries sympathetic and unhappy with his continued detention at the police headquarters in Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa town in Laguna province, just outside Manila.

Misuari is asking the Department of Justice to bring his trial to Mindanao, instead of holding him in Laguna.

On Tuesday, the government allowed Misuari to attend prayers during the Eid'l Adha celebration in the Blue Mosque in Taguig City after the Makati Regional Trial Court gave him permission.

"We thank President Arroyo for allowing brother Nur to attend that very important celebration of the Muslims. This is a good indication that the government is now paying much attention to him. We hope the government will eventually free him permanently," Hassan said.

The MNLF, under Misuari, signed a peace agreement with the government in September 1996, ending almost three decades of bloody fighting in the south.

But many MNLF members were unhappy with the accord and accused the government of failing to provide them livelihood and improve their standard of living.

Misuari later accused the government of reneging on its promise to help develop war-torn areas in Mindanao and led a failed rebellion in Jolo island in 2001, that coincided with the planned elections in the ARMM that would eventually put him out of the race.

The fighting on the island left dozens of people dead and wounded and spread to Zamboanga City where Misuari's loyal soldiers hostaged more than 100 people, triggering 3-days of fierce fighting that killed many rebels and civilians.

Misuari then fled to Sabah, but was arrested and deported to the Philippines and jailed. (Zamboanga Journal)