Violence could erupt if peace talks won't resume MILF

MANILA, Philippines – Muslim rebels warned yesterday that their five-year-old truce with the Philippine government may collapse unless the two sides resume stalled peace talks.

The talks broke off last year after the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been fighting for self-rule for minority Muslims for decades, protested the government’s insistence that any proposal granting the rebels autonomy must adhere to Philippine laws and go before voters as a referendum.

The peace process hit another snag in May, when neighboring Malaysia grew impatient with the stalled talks and began pulling its more than 40 peacekeepers from the region. The peacekeepers have been credited with safeguarding the 2003 truce.

Rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said in a statement Friday that the ceasefire may collapse on Aug. 31 unless the government and the MILF negotiate an extension of the monitors’ mandate.

The mandate is renegotiated every August.

But Iqbal warned that the rebels will not agree to meet with their government counterparts if it is only to extend the monitors’ mandate. He said any new talks must first tackle the contentious issue of territory, governance, control of natural resources and other points relating to a future Muslim homeland.

The rebels said earlier that the two sides had already covered most of the issues when the government announced it was re-examining its position, which Manila says must not violate the Philippine Constitution.

Iqbal has repeatedly warned it would be difficult to prevent occasional conflicts without the foreign peacekeepers.

The Philippine government did not comment immediately, but has repeatedly allayed fears of a return to war. National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said Tuesday the government has appealed for more peacekeepers from Muslim countries to help fill the vacuum after the Malaysians complete their withdrawal.

Libya and Brunei together have about 20 monitors left behind, and Japan has one civilian representative. Gonzales said Libya and Brunei had both pledged to increase their numbers to 25 each, and that Indonesia was considering sending representatives.

US and Philippine officials hope a peace pact can transform the southern Philippines into a booming economic hub instead of combat zones that are a breeding ground for terrorism.    – AP