MILF explains peace framework to members

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has embarked on an information drive to explain to its members the framework peace agreement it signed with the Aquino administration last month.

The MILF emphasized the need to explain the framework agreement so its members could better understand the provisions of the pact signed last Oct. 15 at Malacañang.

At least six groups have been formed to bring the information campaign to thousands of MILF members in Mindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Palawan.

Mohammad Muntassir, head of MILF’s Da’wah Department, said the six groups were assigned to their respective areas of coverage namely Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan, Zamboanga peninsula, Lanao, Davao, Maguindanao-Cotabato area, and South Cotabato.

Several members of the MILF Central Committee were distributed to the six groups to handle the discussion.

But prior to their deployment, the senior members of the MILF Central Committee and members of the MILF Peace

Panel held a one-day forum on the framework agreement.

MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal told Luwaran that understanding the agreement is not easy because it contains provisions constructed ambiguously to give both parties “elbow room” or space for movement.

Iqbal said sometimes the rigidity of the meaning in literal construction poses serious problems to both sides in trying to address the concerns of special audience.

Meanwhile, some 600 MILF political and military leaders including some MNLF foreign-trained commanders attended the one-day seminar held last Oct. 31 in Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao. The event was attended by MILF senior leaders led by chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim.

Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are fast becoming an MILF territory as more individuals and groups are joining the group after the historic signing of the framework agreement.