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Friday, October 26, 2007
Government, MILF break impasse in talks
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reported Thursday that they have overcome an impasse in peace negotiations over the size of a future Moro homeland and are ready to resume formal talks before the end of the year.
Government chief peace negotiator Jesus Dureza said the formal talks might resume mid-November.
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He lauded this latest development in the peace talks, saying it comes at a time when the BIMP-Eaga has also revived its interest in Mindanao.
"As we have a new surge in BIMP-Eaga, (accompanying this) is the breakthrough in peace efforts. This augers well for parallel fronts of peace and development," Dureza said.
The agreement was reached after a two-day "special meeting" in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that ended Wednesday. The meeting reportedly ended on a high note with both sides expressing deep satisfaction over the successful resolution of major issues that caused the impasse.
"The peace process is firmly back on track towards the holding of the formal talks before the end of the year, thereby concluding negotiations on ancestral domain," said a joint statement signed by MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal and his government counterpart Rodolfo Garcia.
Negotiators expressed their readiness to resume the next round of exploratory talks by mid-November.
The issue of "ancestral domain" pertains to the size of an area that would fall under MILF control as part of a peace deal.
"This is a welcome development," said Dureza. "It's a product of work by both sides (and) that in spite of the difficulties in the talks, we want to find a breakthrough and the end will be a final settlement."
He said Malaysian facilitators would set the date of the new talks next month.
The Philippine and US governments hope an agreement with the MILF could transform vast rural strongholds in the southern Mindanao region into hubs of economic growth instead of just conflict zones that could be used to harbor al Qaeda-linked militants.
Military officials have often accused the MILF of providing sanctuary to members of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group and Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiyah. The MILF has denied any links.
The MILF, which the military says has 11,000 fighters, has been battling for self-rule for more than two decades in Mindanao, home to minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex/With AP)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (October 26, 2007 issue)
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