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MILF Negotiation Team Readies For Talks
by Kazi Mahmood
KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 (IslamOnline) - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have officially formed a five-man negotiating team that will eventually face its Philippine government (GRP) counterpart when peace negotiations formally start in June, sources said on Thursday.
The decision was made during the two-day Jihad Executive Council meeting from April 8-9, held at Camp Abubakar sub-office in Maguindanao. The meeting was presided by MILF Chairman Salamat Hashim.
The MILF, however, has decided to withhold the names of panel members since minor issues are still unresolved, sources within the group said.
The only two names certain to be on the team are that of legal counsel Attorney Lanang S. Ali and Haji Murad Ali, the commander of MILF armed forces. The panel is to be headed by a senior member of the Central Committee.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu confirmed the creation of the peace talk panel, saying it was another step forward for a peaceful solution in the war torn region of Mindanao.
He said the formation of the MILF peace panel is part of the group's commitment in relation to the scheduled opening of the June peace talks.
The venue of the peace negotiations, however, still has to be agreed upon by both parties, as the MILF said it was certainly necessary for it to be held outside the Philippines in any Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) member-state, Kabalu asserted.
Countries who have a greater chance of hosting either the formal opening or the regular peace talks include, but are not limited to, Malaysia, Indonesia and Libya.
Earlier, the MILF leadership expressed openness on a proposal made by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid to host the formal opening of the peace talks.
Malaysia, however, has the edge considering that it was through its initiative that the agreement on the General Framework for the Resumption of Peace Talks between the GRP and the MILF, signed on March 24th, was successfully concluded.
At any rate, both countries are members of the Committee of the Eight tasked by the OIC to look at the Muslim problems in the South Philippines.
The Philippine government has said that it agrees on the issue of holding peace talks abroad, but that members of its own peace panel have suggested that Manila and another venue should be retained. It is possible the talks could begin in Kuala Lumpur though.
The MILF leadership has also welcomed with appreciation the move to unite the MILF with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in the light of efforts to solve the Bangsamoro problem.
Those sentiments were expressed through the passage of a Resolution in that sense during the Jihad Executive Council meeting.
It is believed that unity between the two Fronts will be an effective and lasting peaceful political settlement of the conflict in Mindanao.
The Resolution, however, does not distinguished which group of MNLF shall be the object of unification with the MILF.
The MNLF is divided into two groups. The first group led by Nur Misuari has already entered into Final Peace Agreement with the Philippines on September 2, 1996.
The other group is composed mainly of those who abandoned, or were left behind, by Misuari when he signed the peace agreements.
Commander Milham, Misuari's former Chief of Staff, leads the abandoned MNLF members. He is reportedly based in Sabah, Malaysia.
During deliberations on the issue, it was argued whether or not the forging of unity between the two Fronts could still be possible since the MNLF was no longer considered to be a revolutionary organization.
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