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October 24, 2005
Philippines: Peace Deal With Moro Islamic Liberation Front
The island of Mindanao is home to the Moro people, who are predominantly Muslim. It is here that the forces of Abu Sayyaf are based. Also here is the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), an organisation formed in 1977 which has about 2,900 "soldiers". In 1987, they led a short lived offensive against the government. They do not argue for war, and are not considered "terrorists" in the way that Abu Sayyaf is a terrorist organisation, and in fact, have repeatedly denounced terrorism. The Moro people consider themselves to be victims of government neglect and persecution. On September 21, the 33rd anniversary of former President Marcos' declaration of martial law, Muslim Moro staged demonstrations, protesting their treatment under the present government, led by Gloria Arroyo.
Muhammad Ameen, a member of MILF, has stated that a peace deal between MILF and the government would bring stability to the island, and help in the fight for real terrorists. Peace talks appear set to commence after Ramadan, which ends in a week and a half. According to the SunStar, Gloria Arroyo initiated peace talks with the MILF in 2002, and last year both sides signed an agreement paving the way for the MILF to assist the government fight terrorism and criminal groups active in the region.
Abu Sayyaf, whose stated aims when founded in the early 1990s were to found a new Islamist state in the southeast Asian region, have recently become linked with Jemaah Islamiyah who also desire the foundation of an Islamic super-state. Moro people are becoming tired of being suspected of terrorist sympathies by the Philippines, and also US forces in the region who are seeking the deadly Abu Sayyaf and now JI groups.
US State Department coordinator for counter-terrorism, Henry Crumpton visited Manila last week, on a tour of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, intended to seek ways of reducing terror threats within the southeast Asian region. Speaking of the proposed MILF/government peace agreement, he said: "We also believe that when this accord is signed, it will put enormous pressure on Jemaah Islamiya and the Abu Sayyaf Group. So in the long term, we think this is the most effective way forward, and important in bringing the political elements in the Philippines together."
The Financial Times commented on the case, noting that in the early 1980s hundreds of MILF guerillas were sent to Afghanistan to fight Soviet troops, where they came into contact with leading figures in Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah.
Early this year, Joseph Mussomeli, charge d'affaires of the US embassy in Manila, said the Milf leaders "have not taken enough steps to not only sever their relations with JI, but to sever their relations from their colleagues who have those connections with JI".Mr Crumpton's statement is in line with the Philippine government's view that links between the Milf and JI and Abu Sayyaf are fairly low-level and not supported by the rebel group's leadership.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 24, 2005 6:21 PM
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