Philippines: Government And Separatists Start Back Door Negotiations
By Kazi Mahmood
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (IslamOnline) - Unconfirmed reports from Mindanao Saturday revealed that the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels are already negotiating on terms and conditions of proposed peace talks.
It is, however, certain that both sides are set to meet on February 28th for further back channel talks to pave the way for the resumption of the stalled peace negotiation process soon.
Several members of the reconstituted peace panel on both sides are due to continue these unofficial talks essential for the laying the groundwork for the top leadership on both sides to meet.
The Filipino regime has given until the February 28th proposed meeting for the MILF to declare its own suspension of military operations and to accept terms for the resumption of peace talks.
The MILF is being asked not to attack government forces in any circumstances as the regime of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo seems to be closing its eyes on fresh clashes that erupted Thursday in Maguindanao.
The Philippines government has officially halted the "all out war" initiated by former president Joseph Estrada against the Moro fighters following a televised declaration by Arroyo ordering the army to respect the unilateral ceasefire.
Arroyo expressed hope the MILF would respond positively to the government's ceasefire declaration and withdrawal of criminal charges against its leaders.
The government, Arroyo said, will continue to enlist the help of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in finding a solution to the Mindanao peace problem. She said her regime was sincere in its approach since she wanted to see a united and peaceful Philippines.
"We still have that desire to keep ties with the OIC because of its interest in peace in Mindanao. The OIC wants to help," she said.
The MILF insisted Friday in an email to IslamOnline that it did not receive any peace offer letter from the Philippines presidential palace.
The breakaway Islamic movement also said it was observing the situation with caution since in the past it was played out due to the insincerity from the negotiators of the deposed Estrada administration.
Arroyo, in the meantime, has asked the MILF to reconstitute a peace panel that will probably be headed by Lanang Ali, its legal representative, while that of the government would be headed by Jesus Dureza, the presidential adviser.
Formal peace talks with the MILF initiated in 1999, but were stalled last year when the Estrada government launched a massive offensive - the "all out war" - against the separatist group, leading to the capture of 46 of its camps.
The OIC has intervened in the crisis before and was instrumental in the forging of a 1996 peace agreement between the government and the Nur Misuari-led MILF.
Last year, an OIC delegation visited the southern Philippines and gave its tacit support to the MILF, officially recognizing it as an influential group in the region.
