Government-MILF peace talks pushed back

Peace talks between the Arroyo government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been moved back at the request of Malaysia, the host country of the next round of negotiations, the go—vernment’s chief negotiator, Jesus Dureza, said yesterday.

The talks aimed at ending the MILF’s 23-year rebellion was originally scheduled to begin on Monday in Kuala Lumpur, Dureza said on local television.

"But they said they (Malaysian authorities) were not yet ready, so they have asked (us) to move the date," Dureza said. "Probably on Oct. 15 or 22, but we are not sure yet of the final date."

No official reason was given for the delay, but Dureza said the problem could be "more of venue arrangements."

The delay would give both sides "more time to finish up on the organizational work on ceasefire committees," to prevent hostilities in the South, Dureza said.

Government negotiators were in constant communication with MILF leaders ahead of the resumption of negotiations, Dureza said.

He said much work has to be done to ensure that local monitoring committees are equipped to enforce a truce signed in August.

Both sides have accused each other of provoking clashes that left 36 MILF guerrillas and eight soldiers dead last week in Buldon, Maguindanao.

Military airplanes and attack helicopters also bombarded MILF positions the other day, although there were no immediate reports of casualties.

"We are confident that the local monitoring committees will be a big help in keeping peace in their respective areas," Dureza said.

The 12,500-strong MILF is fighting for the creation of an Islamic state in the South.

Incursions

Meanwhile, intelligence sources fear that the recent attacks by MILF rebels on farming villages in Maguindanao could be a prelude to escalated incursions on the front’s former enclaves during the negotiations.

The sources cited reports from some religious and political leaders in Buldon, Barira and Matanog towns that MILF forces are planning to attack military positions in Buldon, Barira and Matanog, all in Maguindanao, and along the Secretary Narciso Ramos Highway while the talks in Kuala Lumpur are underway.

The attacks, they said, are meant to dramatize the front’s bid to get back control of certain communities.

But Maj. Julieto Ando, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said Marine and Army units, including all Army engineering battalions rehabilitating war-devastated communities, are on alert and ready to defend their positions if attacked.

Defensive

"As always, our troops will remain in defensive posture and will only engage armed men there if provoked or fired upon," Ando said.

Muhaquer Icbal, MILF chief information officer, denied the supposed plan. "Our forces in the three towns have been religiously adhering to the ceasefire and are just confined in their present positions," Icbal told The STAR via a mobile phone.

He said the hostilities in Buldon started last week when combatants of the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion encroached into rebel territory in Barangay Minabay, Buldon town without prior coordination.

The military bombarded a strategic spot in Buldon the other day after villagers complained about heavily armed MILF fighters converging in the supposedly demilitarized area.

"All of our low-scale maneuvers in Buldon are merely police work in response to the clamor by civilians to prevent these rebels from roaming around their villages carrying their firearms," Ando said. — Edith Regalado and John Unson