COTABATO CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) welcomed Libya’s intention to take the place of Malaysia as lead peacekeeper in areas covered by the ceasefire.
But Ghazali Jaafar, the front’s vice chairman for political affairs, said the government and the MILF panels must first agree whether to allow Libya to assume the leadership of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) or not, in keeping with bilaterally agreed procedures on enforcing security measures in flashpoint areas in the South.
“There’s a need for the GRP and MILF peace panels to sit down to discuss the matter. At this time, there’s no schedule yet of any meeting by the two panels,” Mohaqher Iqbal, MILF’s chief negotiator, said.
Iqbal said the most pressing concern the two panels have to discuss immediately is their “unfinished business” of crafting a sensible, durable agreement on ancestral domain, which encompasses the MILF’s proposed Moro homeland to be covered by its envisioned governing mechanism, the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, or BJE.
Dr. Salem Adam, special envoy to Mindanao of the Tripoli-based Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation (GICDF), said that Libya, through the foundation, is ready to assume the IMT’s leadership when Malaysia pulls out its peacekeepers in Mindanao.
Adam said the Philippine government has sought Libya’s assistance to take the lead role in the peacekeeping mission in southern Philippines.
The foundation, headed by Saiful Gaddafi, son of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, is Libya’s peace and development arm to Muslim-dominated communities in Mindanao.
Jaafar said any form of support to the GRP-MILF talks from foreign organizations will hasten the peace process.
“I am still hopeful the talks would continue, we are not losing hope even if others appear to be,” Jaafar said.
Peace talks between the government and the MILF started Jan. 7, 1997, but gained headway only in 2003 with the help of Malaysia as “third party mediator.”
GRP-MILF peace process had been put on hold since December over disagreements on the ancestral domain issue.
The MILF blamed the government for the impasse, claiming the GRP panel did not honor its commitment. Malacañang has announced that any agreement with the MILF on the issue of territory must conform with the Constitution, a move strongly opposed by the MILF in establishing the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.
The proposed BJE covers provinces and cities within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza likewise welcomed Libya’s approval of the government’s request.
Dureza pointed out that he was informed by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales from Tripoli that four Libyan monitors would be arriving soon.
The four are not part of the 25 new monitors, but are actually the balance of the 10-member contingent committed by Libya in 2006. There are currently six Libyan monitors who are part of the IMT in Iligan City.
Meanwhile, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumaod said the situation regarding the IMT pullout would test the mettle of the Arroyo administration in its own handling of the peace talks.
Bishop Jumaod however admitted to Radio Veritas that the pullout of Malaysian troops would affect the peace talks between the government and the MILF.
“On the other hand, I think it will be good if the government will handle the peace talks because this is an internal matter. Why hope for other countries to interfere and intervene?” the prelate said.
“Why is it that the government is banking on other people? Why does the government not do its part in order to give peace in Mindanao?”– With Evelyn Macairan