MILF insists Bangsamoro substate to end conflict
CEBU, Philippines - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is determined to push for its proposed establishment of Bangsamoro substate to address the decades-long armed conflict in Mindanao despite what he described as “deadlock” in the peace negotiation.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, who was in Cebu yesterday for a media briefing on the peace process, said that they are standing by their proposal insisting that the government’s counter proposal was way behind their expectations.
“The MILF would push through with our proposal,” Iqbal told reporters.
The GRP panel and the MILF started the formal talks for peace in Mindanao last Aug. 23 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia but the negotiations were cut-short after the MILF panel rejected the government’s proposal.
Iqbal said the counter proposal of the government was not meant to fast-track the peace process in Mindanao but only prolong the conflict.
According to Iqbal, the GRP proposal was far from the Bangsamoro substate discussed personally by their chairman Al Haj Murad and President Aquino during their meeting in Japan last month.
Under the MILF proposal, they will be sharing power with the national government. The proposal, however, needs an amendment of the Constitution. — (FREEMAN)
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