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Philippines: MILF Says Peace Talks Only After Estrada Trial
by Kazi Mahmood for IslamOnline
JAKARTA (IslamOnline & News Agencies) The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said on Friday it would not hold any negotiations with the government until after the impeachment trial of Philippine President Joseph Estrada is over.
Eid Kabalu, of the MILF, said resumption of talks and a proposed one-to-one meeting between the Chairman of the group, Hashim Salamat, and Estrada might be considered only after the trial that has started in Manila.
"All proposed talks are suspended until the impeachment trial is finished. The trial has to end and the government has to be stable enough when we start talking," Kabalu said.
In another twist to the resumption of talks, the MILF has suggested through Salamat that the talks be held in Saudi Arabia. The MILF believes that the security of its leaders is at stake and that the Filipino army may attempt to harm the movement during these proposed talks.
Salamat informed the Philippines government that he desires to hold the talks as soon as possible, but ruled out any immediate dates. The MILF is still debating the proposed talks, which is being arranged by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid.
Wahid offered to arrange a one-on-one meeting between Estrada and Salamat when the two heads of state met at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in Brunei recently.
According to informed sources, it appears that the date and venue of the meeting will be decided solely by the MILF, which regards the Philippines government as insincere in its attempts to end the long standing conflict in Mindanao.
Earlier, Kabalu said Estrada’s impeachment, or ouster, by any means should not affect the decision by the MILF to resume negotiations with the government. He said the MILF only wants to make sure that no internal problems within the government would surface and influence, or possibly disturb, the peace talks.
Kabalu said their decision to temporarily suspend the peace talks is not influenced by the crisis beleaguering the Estrada presidency.
On the Filipino side, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said the meeting would not take place until the government draws up an agenda for the resumption of the peace talks.
Estrada suspended the talks last June after the MILF refused to abandon its secessionist stand and end its armed struggle.
The government then launched an all-out offensive against the MILF, which saw the fall of 46 of its camps in Central Mindanao, prompting Salamat to declare a jihad, or holy war.
Efforts have been made to revive the peace talks but the MILF said they are only willing to return to the negotiating table under certain conditions, including government recognition of previous agreements.
On the other hand, the Philippines government said their offer for amnesty has been well received by MILF fighters who continue to surrender to the army.
It said the fighters, who are fully convinced on the government's sincerity in providing them with necessary assistance, has brought another 159 members of the MILF to abandon their fight against the administration.
The group was headed by Dimalayang Mala alias "Commander Dimas" of the MILF's 304th Brigade.
In an interview, Dimas said they surrendered because they want to live a normal life. He added their families were so affected by the situation that even their children could no longer go to school.
Dimas and his group were given $4 million in livelihood and development assistance.
The Philippines army said the MILF members surrendered with light weapons, such as assorted firearms including light 30mm machineguns, rifles, carbines, grenade launchers and assorted revolvers.
The MILF, as a group, has heavy weaponry, which the army has found difficult to seize, even after the capture of the reported 46 camps in Magindanao.
Army officials said the latest group of MILF members to surrender brought to 918 the total number of “rebels” in Lanao that returned to the government.
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