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December 24, 2005

Philippines: Army's Concerns Over Moro Islamic Liberation Front

We mentioned on October 24 the signing of a peace deal between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Philippines government. The MILF is based on the southern island of Mindanao, within the Liguasan Marsh region in the west of the island. Formed in 1977, it had about 3,000 "soldiers" three years ago. In 1987 MILF mounted a brief insurgency against the Philippines government.

The aim of the MILF and also the other group from the region, MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) is to have a homeland or autonomy for the ethnic Bangsaomoro people of Mindanao, who are almost exclusively Muslim.

The recent peace deal was soon denounced by the Catholic mayor of Zamboanga City, Celso Lobregat, who claimed on October 24 that the government had offered a secret deal with MILF for an Islamic nation of Moro to secede from the Philippines nation on the island of Mindanao. The island has a population of 3 million Muslims.

Lobregat's claims were refuted by various senior members of the MILF, a few days later.

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."

Today, the Philippines Inquirer announces that the chief of the Armed Forces Southern Command, Lt General Edilberto Adan, has said that MILF is currently recruiting for war.

The story is also covered by Philippines Star, and the abs-cbn News.

"We have received a lot of reports from local officials, barangay captains, mayors and our ground commanders about the MILF's recruitment and training of 4,000 members," Adan said to the press last week.

The Star states that Adan asserted today (24 December) that many affidavits have been handed in to military personnel in Mindanao, from individuals claiming to being "trained" for an upcoming offensive. He said that MILF were trying to expand their territory

The government and MILF have both denied the military commander's claim. Government peace negotiators who are steering the peace talks with the MILF have requested the military not to make statements which can upset the situation.

"We did not start this. By conducting training, they are endangering the peace talks because the peace talks are premised on building trust and confidence," he [Adnan] said.

"But if you are preparing for war, for explosives and demolition and jihad, is that trust-building?"

Abs-cbn News states that the numbers of MILF soldiers have swelled to 11,000 recently. The group's spokesman, Eid Kabalu, said that these new recruits approached of their own volition. He gave the reason for the desire to join MILF stemmed from disillusionment with the current peace talks from the Bangsamoro population.

The Mail and Standard states that on 22 December, Lt Gen Edilberto Adan said he had ordered preemptive action in all areas being covered by MILF: My instruction to my local commanders in the field is to conduct preemptive action against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (to prevent the) recruiting and conducting of training of its new recruits," he said.

The training was allegedly held in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao provinces, western Mindanao and Sarangani, as well as others.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at December 24, 2005 2:48 PM

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