MANILA – The Philippine government wants the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to move faster as the 24th formal exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur recently ended.
The peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front “have inched forward but not fast enough,” Government peace panel chair Marvic Leonen said.
“The government was earnest in moving towards the crafting of a peace agreement. That would have been the best move forward for both panels,” Leonen said as he expressed concern on the very slight movement in the negotiations.
In a joint statement released at the conclusion of the talks, both parties confirmed “constructive discussions on substantive issues” such as “the concept of governance and the listing of reserved powers of the National Government.”
It likewise stated, “Both parties clarified their positions, tentatively identified areas of common ground and agreed to consult with their principals on outstanding issues.” Both the government and the MILF “also considered the drafting of road maps towards the resolution of the Bangsamoro question.”
During the closing ceremony, Leonen said that he arrived in Malaysia with a full delegation, including the panel members, secretariat and the heads of the government ceasefire mechanisms “because we want to achieve and resolve as many of the outstanding issues as possible.”
“We have mentioned principled, just, political opportunities and strong foundations for a long-standing solution to the Bangsamoro question during the negotiations as government’s firm commitment to the peace process,” Leonen said, emphasizing that, “we have laid our cards on the table.”
According to Leonen, “While the negotiations are ongoing, the government will go full blast with its other option – continuing the transformation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.”
Meanwhile, both parties agreed to meet again in February for the next round of talks.
“This is the opportunity that we have to explore because both sides are willing to come together,” Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed said.
Meanwhile, the MILF leadership has told its members to abide by the late MILF founder Hashim Salamat’s guidelines.
Mohammad Ameen, chair of the MILF Secretariat, told the mass leaders of the front to remain vigilant, stay alert and oppose any opportunistic and capitulative tendencies posed by anyone or group within the organization. “The enemy within is more destructive than those from the outside, whom we can easily identify and confront.”
Ameen, who recently met the MILF leaders from various provinces, cities, and municipalities of Mindanao, also forewarned critics to be modest and circumspect in their criticism.
Ameen said that anyone’s ideas should not be viewed as the absolute truth, and reminded them that only two fingers of accuser are pointing to the accused and three are pointing back at him. He added that one can rip any idea to shreds, because it is very easy to criticize, but certainly, it is hard to create; and the dangerous man is the one who has only one idea, because then he’ll fight and die for it.
He cited the case of Ameril Omra Kato and his clique who severely criticized the MILF leadership allegedly for wrong political line and proceeded to bolt from the MILF and formed his own organization, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM) and their army, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
Ameen stressed that both the ideological and political lines of the current leadership of the MILF especially in the conduct of negotiation follows the guidelines enunciated by the late MILF Chairman and set forth in his book “The Bangsamoro Mujahid: His Objectives and Responsibilities.”
Ameen said the book outlined the concept of Moros’ right to self-determination as either attainment of complete independence, or in the least, a meaningful autonomous government embracing the entire traditional homeland of the Moros, namely: Mindanao, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Palawan.
“Of course it’s easy for Kato and group to criticize the MILF’s line in pursuing peace talks with the government, because they have only idea in mind: outright independence for the Moros, which is a noble intention and in the heart of every real Moro. But did they ever think of how to go there. In a rugged mountain, construction of road has to follow the contours and has to build bridge where it is not possible to just pour enormous amount of earthfill. In such a terrain, the best road is still one that is zigzagging and winding,” he said.
