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| Southeast Asia |
| Government truce with MILF hurting military's ability to pursue JI, Abu Sayyaf |
| 2005-02-02 |
| THE CEASEFIRE between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is causing problems in the military's campaign against the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah, General Efren Abu, armed forces chief of staff, admitted to reporters. Since the military is required to forewarn the MILF before attacking its territories, Abu Sayyaf and JI members in the area are able to flee before government forces can strike, Abu said. "Well, it (ceasefire) is not very effective but we have to work with the constraints. We do not want the peace talks to bog down," Abu said in Camp Aguinaldo Tuesday evening. To ensure success, Abu said the military would inform the MILF shortly before an attack on its territories where the terrorists are believed to be staying. "If you tell them very much early, nothing will happen," Abu said. The MILF has long been accused of coddling the Abu Sayyaf and the JI -- alleged affiliates of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network. The rebel group's leaders have consistently denied this, saying only breakaway MILF commands were in cahoots with terrorists. Last week, the military bombed MILF territory at the Butilan marsh in Datu Piang town, Maguindanao province where renegade MILF commander Wahid Kalil Tondok was allegedly hiding Abu Sayyaf and JI members. The military's Southern Command (SouthCom) claimed 40 bandits, including two Indonesian JI members, were killed in the air raid. Abu however clarified on Tuesday that only 11 bodies were actually recovered. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said peace talks between the government and the MILF would push through in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in February. "We are serious in reaching an (peace) agreement (with the MILF) as soon as practicable," Cruz told reporters Tuesday evening. Cruz said international organizations were only waiting for a peace agreement to be drafted before they send aid to Mindanao. "They're itching to send development funds to conflict areas," Cruz said but he declined to name the donors. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |