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Philippine President Says She Is Confident Moros Want Peace
by Kazi Mahmood for IslamOnline
KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Muslim separatist leaders have told the Philippine government that they are ready to resume peace talks, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said on Wednesday. She added that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had written to her indicating they would resume talks.
On Tuesday, the MILF, headed by Chairman Salamat Hashim, expressed its openness to the government's call for a resumption of peace negotiations that was stalled in April last year.
Also Tuesday, Eid Kabalu, MILF spokesman, said the group was preparing a letter for the government through Jesus Dureza, government peace panel chairman and presidential assistant for Eastern Mindanao.
"Chairman Salamat Hashim and the MILF central committee are very receptive to resuming the stalled negotiations since they have always believed that only a peaceful negotiation can provide a just and lasting resolution to the Bangsa Moro people's long-standing aspirations for self-determination," Kabalu said.
He said lawyer Lanang Ali, MILF legal counsel, was instructed by the MILF central committee to draft a communication expressing the group's openness to a resumption of talks.
Kabalu stressed that the letter will ask the government to be consistent with recognizing the two sides' previous agreements that were set aside by former president Joseph Estrada's government and could be a bone of contention for the military.
The MILF leader added that his group also wants the government to state categorically its stand on the MILF's demand on the participation of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in any possible peace talks.
He added that the MILF demand stands good for any of the OIC's 56 member countries to participate. He said the venue, which Salamat's group wants to be a in neutral foreign country, was not yet decided upon.
Kabalu recalled that then Vice President Arroyo was the highest Philippine official to express openness to the participation of the OIC in possible government-MILF talks. She also did not object at holding the talks outside the Philippines.
"We hope that now that she is the highest official of the country, Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo still holds to her heart these ideas and would impress upon them to other top government officials and the government peace panel," the MILF spokesman said.
Kabalu added that the President endeared herself to the local and international Muslim community when she was present to send off pilgrims to Mecca for hajj in February.
However, the MILF received with caution the appointment by Arroyo of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Nur Misuari as special envoy to the OIC on matters concerning the government-MILF talks.
"If brother Nur represents the government, there is no objection from the MILF. However, if he represents the Bangsa Moro people, then we cannot accept him because we have no demand from our fellow Moros," Kabalu said.
Mahendra Madjilon, ARMM information chief, however, said that Misuari did not accept the appointment.
The MILF, the largest Islamic separatist group in the Philippines, is fighting for the installation of a fully Islamic government in Mindanao and say its major objective is the independence of Bangsamoro land.
The 12,500-strong MILF has been fighting for more than 20 years for an independent Muslim state on the main southern island of Mindanao.
Meanwhile, a grenade explosion rocked Cotabato City late Tuesday reportedly to create confusion and get Arroyo's attention, who arrived in Central Mindanao Wednesday morning.
Three people were wounded when an M203 grenade launcher was fired at an apartment owned by Hadji Jukra Hamdil.
Police authorities were still probing the incident as of posting time although they theorized that the explosion was intended to sow terror in the city and grab the President's attention.
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