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October 29, 2005
Philippines: Moro Islamic Liberation Front Refutes Criticisms
On October 24, brought you news of the peace deal reached between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The next day we brought you the news of criticisms from the mayor of Zamboanga City on Mindanao, Celso Lobregat, who claimed that there was more than a deal to allow autonomy and cooperation between Manila and the MILF. He asserted that there was a secret agreement to establish an Islamic state on the island of Mindanao.
Today, the Sunstar and the Manila Times have published the reactions from MILF to Lobrego's accusations.
The SunStar quotes Khaled Musa, deputy chairman of the MILF information committee, who said Filipino Muslims have the right to decide their political future.
"The right of the Bangsamoro people to determine their own political future is not subject for veto by any group in Mindanao. This is a God-given right, and is spelled out in the Tripoli Agreement of 2001 signed by the Filipino government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.Khaled Musa claimed in response to Lobregat's assertions that a secret deal had planned the establishment of an Islamic state: "The MILF has never brought up, or will ever bring up, the issue of (putting up an) Islamic state, or Islam, in the peace talks, because this is internal to the Moros. What we are (discussing) up in the talks is the political settlement of the conflict,""The right to self-determination is also well entrenched in the Charter of the United Nations," Musa said.
Other representatives are quoted in their defense of the peace agreement. Ghazaili Jaafar, MILF's vice-chair of political affairs said the organisation was unfazed by criticisms of the talks, which have the backing of the US and the Muslim members of the Oranisation of islamic Conference. He affirmed that was nothing sinister in the peace talks, which are due to resume after Eid Ul-Fitr next week. Other MILF politicians, such as Eid Kabalu, Aleem Aziz Minbutas and the head of MILF, Murad Ebrahim, insisted the organisation was sincere and wished to end hostilities in Mindanao.
"Our life-long dream to establish and develop our homeland as a permanent legacy to the next generation of Bangsamoro people, and the generation after that, which they can call their own, will soon - insha' Allah (God willing) - become a reality", Ebrahim stated.
MILF insisted the talks were about ancestral domain, not forming a new state. The Manila Times explained:
Ancestral domain refers to the MILF demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland. It is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the MILF can reach a political settlement.President Arroyo said early this year that 80 percent of the peace talks had been completed and that permanent peace in Mindanao is within reach.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 29, 2005 2:05 AM
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