MANILA,
April 6, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Filipino opposition powers and the
regime have slammed recent US statements concerning the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF), charging Washington of seeking to scuttle the
ongoing peace process, prior to the coming round of talks to be hosted
by Malaysia April 16.
The
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) called on MILF and the
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) to be on guard against “US
attempts to meddle in and force the scuttling of its scheduled peace
talks with the Arroyo government”.
CPP
spokesperson Gregorio Rosal issued the call in reaction to a recent
statement by US officials warning the Arroyo government against
pursuing negotiations with the MILF, citing alleged ties with
“Indonesia’s Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), an allegedly terrorist
group”.
Rosal
labeled the US move as “political blackmail” that seeks to compel
the Moro fighters to bow to the authority of the Arroyo government
adding that MILF faces an imminent threat with the talks’
cancellation if it refuses to capitulate.
US
Pacific Command Chief Admiral William Fallon and US Assistant
Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill
expressed “concern” last week over what they alleged to be
“terror links of the MILF” and that it could be listed as a
“foreign terrorist organization” because of the link.
US
official statements came a few days before scheduled peace
negotiations on April 16, in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur to end
some 30 years of armed conflict that killed thousands.
Official
Stance
The
US concerns also received the cold shoulder from the Arroyo regime itself.
President
Gloria Arroyo’s adviser on peace process, Teresita Deles, shrugged
off the American officials’ statements saying the negotiations with
the MILF is pushing through as planned.
She
said they are going to talk about the ancestral domain issue when they
meet as the mechanisms put up to maintain peace prior to reaching a final agreement seem to be working well.
Deles
added MILF officials have been seriously working with their
negotiating team in building the blocks of peace and final settlement
and we have no reason not to push through.
US
Told to Back Off
 |
|
Arroyo’s
adviser on the peace process said peace with the MILF is pushing
through as planned. (Reuters)
|
Mindanao
Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. seconded Rosal’s statement with an
appeal to the United States not to spoil its role in leading the
“global war against terrorism” by including the MILF in its list
of foreign terrorist organizations warning it will have far-reaching
adverse political implications and could spell the death knell for the
ongoing peace negotiations.
Filipino
Defense Secretary, Avelino Cruz, admitted recently that the Philippine
government is seeking a peace agreement with the MILF so it could
focus on addressing the CPP-waged revolution.
In
a statement received by IslamOnline.net Tuesday, April 5, Rosal cited
the National Democratic Front’s experience in its own talks with the
Arroyo government, saying the Bush government’s inclusion (as
terrorist) of the CPP, NPA and the NDF's chief political consultant,
Jose Maria Sison, remains the “the biggest roadblock” to the peace
negotiations. Rosal blasted the US’ terror label as “direct
political intervention.”
Pimentel
again shared Rosal’s view. In a statement received by
IslamOnline.net, he said that when the Communist Party of the
Philippines and its armed wing, New People’s Army, were classified
as terrorist groups by the United States and the European Union, the
Philippine government’s peace talks with the National Democratic
Front (NDF) broke down.
Legitimate
Rights
Pimentel
said the MILF, an organization fighting for the legitimate political
and economic aspirations of the Muslim people in Mindanao, "should not
be bracketed with the Abu Sayyaf Group, a bunch of hooligans engaged
in kidnapping for ransom, extortion and other plain criminal
activities".
He
added the reported Washington’s plan to include the MILF in its list
of “terrorist groups” does not jibe with the commitment of
President Bush to extend diplomatic and financial assistance to the
peace process in Mindanao.
That
will certainly complicate the situation in Mindanao because the MILF
is not the Abu Sayyaf. And the Abu Sayyaf is an entirely different
group. There is no reason for the MILF to be categorized as a
terrorist organization because it has a legitimate political agenda,
Pimentel said.
He
further noted the MILF leadership has categorically denied that it is
in league with the JI and Abu Sayyaf although some of its fighters may
have fraternized with these “terrorist groups” in defiance of the
MILF policy.
He
went on to explain that unless this is forcefully clarified with
Washington, hawkish elements in the US government might find
justification in making Mindanao the next battle-zone.
“This
is part and parcel of the Bush doctrine which calls for the
annihilation of terrorists wherever they are. But as a people, we
cannot allow such a thing to happen in Mindanao,” Pimentel said.
