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OIC Envoys
Support Mindanao Development Plan
by Kazi Mahmood for IslamOnline
KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Ambassadors from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) on Wednesday pledged support for development efforts being initiated by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Mindanao.
The ambassadors said they would support all efforts aimed at achieving peace and prosperity, particularly in the Southern Philippines.
They also expressed full support for the Arroyo administration's peace initiatives with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).
Ambassador Saleh Muhammad al-Ghamdi of Saudi Arabia thanked the Arroyo for giving importance to the Filipino Muslims and said he knew that under her leadership "everything is possible when it comes to the Muslims."
The Saudi OIC envoy also expressed confidence that with the existing excellent relations between his country and the Philippines, relations would reach new heights, especially in the exchange of visits of top leaders.
He thanked the Philippine government for its contribution of some 800,000 overseas Filipino workers who have made Saudi Arabia their second home.
The Philippines has assured the OIC that it is placing much effort in rehabilitating war-torn areas in the country. Arroyo told the OIC envoys that her government is spending $20 million this month alone for rehabilitation efforts.
The President said she has released funds from her Social Fund for the projects the Inter-Agency Committee for Mindanao, chaired by Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Eduardo Ermita, is undertaking.
Arroyo also said she has directed the National Disaster Coordinating Council to raise the remaining money as a counterpart fund.
She said the funds would be used to repair and rehabilitate houses, mosques and school buildings in Central Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that were destroyed during the all-out offensive under the former government of Joseph Estrada against the MILF.
Meanwhile, the MILF and the government have agreed to implement a "shifting venue" system for the resumption of peace talks.
MILF Spokesman Eid Kabalu said the talks would most likely be held in at least three member-states of the OIC and would start by April 24th.
Kabalu also said the MILF has chosen the members of its panel of negotiators.
"The [MILF] central committee is considering the holding of peace talks in shifting venues, with the OIC taking a major role," Kabalu disclosed and said that Indonesia, through President Abdurrahman Wahid, has offered to host the formal opening of the talks.
Malaysia, the venue of the exploratory talks last month, and another OIC state in the Middle East will likely host the negotiations. Arroyo has expressed openness to the shifting venue concept.
"Perhaps, a shifting venue between the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia would symbolize the unity of ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations]," she said.
In 1986, Malaysia, Indonesia and the OIC played key roles in brokering successful peace talks between the administration of former president Fidel Ramos and the larger Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), from which the MILF broke away in 1978.
The 12,500-strong MILF was left out of that accord and has waged its own armed separatist campaign.
In addition, Arroyo said talks between the two sides would not involve the MILF's reoccupation of their captured camps.
"The talks will be based mainly on autonomy and joint development of the former war-torn areas. There will be no return of camps to the MILF for military build-up," she stressed.
In a meeting with MILF leaders in Kuala Lumpur last month, Ermita secured a deal to officially resume talks "at a mutually agreed country" within three months.
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