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Muslim Lawyer Says MILF Peace Talks May Derail
by Kazi Mahmood
KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (IslamOnline) - Macapanton Abbas, a lawyer and member of the Muslim Reform Party (MRF) on Saturday expressed fears that the appointment of General Angelo Reyes as Defense secretary, and Lt. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva as Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as chief of staff, might derail peace talk efforts between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Abbas said the appointment of Reyes and Villanueva might affect the peace process because the two actively led an all-out war in Mindanao during the former president Joseph Estrada's administration.
He supported earlier claims made by MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu that the military may jeopardize peace efforts initiated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's regime.
"Those involved in the Mindanao war should not be rewarded and should not be involved in the peace process," said Abbas, adding that, "The MILF might be hesitant in dealing with them since they were among those who actively campaigned against the rebels."
Abbas said Arroyo should have chosen other qualified candidates who advocate peace, not promoters of armed struggle. He said both Reyes and Villanueva were unacceptable to the Muslims.
The controversy over the nomination of the two to key military posts in the Philippines will continue until the regime in Manila decides on who will lead proposed peace talks with the MILF.
The separatist organization has several times reiterated its disagreement over the possibility that one of the two men would lead the peace panel for the Philippines government.
Arroyo raised this issue of peace talks after she urged the military to remain united and fix problems it was facing after the popular uprising against Estrada's administration.
She commended the military for backing her efforts to reopen peace talks with both the Muslim separatists and communist insurgents, citing their adherence to separate unilateral ceasefires that she called with both groups in different parts of the country.
The MILF, however, said Arroyo could not overlook the current problems the movement is facing on the field with the continued penetration by the Army in areas still under the control of the separatist movement.
Since the declaration of the ceasefire by the Arroyo government last month, armed military men have attacked the MILF on several fronts. The MILF, in turn, responded by attacking military posts in Mindanao and shelled positions held by the military near amp Abubakar.
The MILF also issued three more demands to the government for the resumption of stalled peace talks.
In a letter sent to Jesus Dureza, chairman of the government peace-negotiating panel, MILF chairman Salamat Hashim stated three more issues that needed to be addressed by the government.
Hashim states the government must find ways of implementing the previous signed agreement, have a third-party mediator, and finalize the location of peace talks.
Dureza said the government would have to discuss these concerns with the MILF panel before giving the government's stand.
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