COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has reaffirmed its commitment to help enforce an international ban on landmines during a transnational conference in Geneva, Switzerland, the rebel group said yesterday.
The MILF’s website, www.luwaran.net, said the commitment was initiated by two of the front’s ranking officials who attended the June 17-19 Second Meeting of Signatories to Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment for Adherence to a Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Mines and for Cooperation in Mines Action in Geneva.
The two MILF officials, who were not identified, were said to have relayed to participants to the conference the MILF’s continuing initiative to stop the use of landmines in areas where its forces operate.
The MILF said it officially expressed support, as early as 2000, to the Geneva campaign against the use of landmines.
MILF chieftain Al-Haj Murad, in 2002, signed an “instrument of commitment,” in keeping with its support to the international ban on landmines, renouncing the use of bombs that target victims detonate unconsciously, or the so-called victim-initiated explosives.
The rebel group, subsequently, also activated its support and compliance system facet, led by its chief negotiator, Muhaquer Iqbal, to implement its enforcement of a ban on landmines in areas where MILF forces operate.
Lawyer Lanang Ali, a member of the MILF’s peace panel, signed on Oct. 21 last year an organizational pledge outlining the front’s efforts to curb the use of landmines as a weapon of war.