PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT: ZAMBOANGA VIOLENCE MAY SPEED UP PEACE PROCESS WITH MILF

    Zamboanga, Philippine, 8 Dzulqa’idah 1434/13 September 2013 (MINA) – President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Friday that the ongoing Zamboanga City standoff may speed up the crafting of the peace deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to eventually achieve a lasting peace in the region.

    The President said in his visit to Zamboanga that the current tension in Zamboanga City has not affected the negotiations between the government and the MILF in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and both panels are discussing the remaining annexes of the agreement, Philippines News Agency (PNA) quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

     The President flew to Zamboanga City Friday morning to personally assess the situation there particularly to ensure that the people affected by the conflict receive government assistance and care.

     He said the prime objective of his visit was to avoid unnecessary loss of human lives and to ensure public welfare.

    But he still insisted his attitude toward MNLF fighters who still hold dozens of hostages during the five days.

    “We’re not setting a deadline but we have decisive points. If they harmed hostages, resorted to arson and crossed other lines that should not be crossed, our security forces have instructions on what to do,” he told reporters.

      Khabar Southeast Asiareports that fighting between government forces and MNLF fighters spread to a second front Thursday in Zamboanga.

     At least 22 people have been killed and 52 wounded in five days of fighting, while 19 of the gunmen have surrendered or been captured, military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala told AFP news agency.

      Fighting once again broke out in Santa Catalina village on Friday,

      Some Philippines political analysts consider that the attack by MNLF aims to cancel peace talks between MILF with Philippine government.

      The purpose of the negotiations was to end resistance of Muslim minority that has lasted for four decades.

      “It looks like the leader of MNLF, Nur Misuari, wanted to convey the message that the peace agreement between government and MILF will not guarantee the end of the war,” Philippines political analyst Rommel Banlaoi said.

       The MILF is in the final stages of peace talks with Manila and is expected to take over an expanded autonomous Muslim region in the south by 2016.

       The deal seeks to end violence that has killed some 150,000 people in the south since the 1970s.

MNLF and MILF

       MNLF is a movement  group that was founded by Nur Misuari in 1969. The MNLF struggled against the Philippine Government (GPH) to achieve independence of the Bangsamoro Land (or Bangsamoro Nation, or Mindanao Nation), the territory covers Sulu, Mindanao, Palawan, and Sabah.

      The MNLF-GPH Peace Process is ongoing since the 1976 and both parties are working together to negotiate the terms and conditions of the legal framework and implementation of genuine autonomy as a peaceful path towards independence.

      MNLF is internationally recognized by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC, formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference) and its Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States (PUIC). Since 1977, the MNLF has been an observer member of the OIC, the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations, and has membership of 57 states spread over four continents.

      Tripoli Agreement of 1976 wherein the MNLF accepted the Philippine government’s offer of semi-autonomy of the regions in dispute.

    The signing of this agreement brought about a serious rift in MNLF leadership, leading to the formation of a breakaway group in 1977 by Hashim Salamat and 57 MNLF officers. The group was initially known as “The New Leadership”.

      This organization was formally established in 1984 as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

      Under President Gloria Arroyo, the Philippine government entered into a cease-fire agreement with the MILF and resumed peace talks.

     On October 7, 2012, President Benigno Aquino announced a peace deal with the MILF and that “This framework agreement paves the way for a final and enduring peace in Mindanao”.

      Its aim is to pave the way to enduring peace between the two parties by officially envisaging an autonomous region in Mindanao.

      Misuari, MNLF leader, alleges the government is violating the terms of a 1996 peace treaty by negotiating a separate peace deal with a rival faction, that is MILF.

      While, the government says Misuari kept on stalling and making new demands. (T/P09/E1).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).