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| Southeast Asia |
| MILF leaders consult henchmen on peace deal |
| 2005-05-30 |
| Muslim separatists in the southern Philippines said Monday they want more than autonomy in exchange for ending three decades of conflict, as they prepared to enter a key round of peace talks with the government. Al Haj Murad, head of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has waged war on the main southern island of Mindanao for three decades, told hundreds of thousands of supporters gathered in this guerrilla camp that "just, honorable and lasting peace is partly at hand.'' He denounced terrorism and said Malaysian-brokered negotiations with the Philippine government - bolstered by a two-year cease-fire - show that "seemingly irreconcilable issues'' can be resolved as long as both sides approach the peace process with "open hearts and minds.'' "After decades of unrelenting struggle, our flickering hope for a just and comprehensive political solution ... is rekindled,'' Murad said, appealing for Christians to "cast aside mistrust'' of Muslims. At a meeting in Malaysia last month, the two sides made progress on resolving Muslims' territorial rights claims - the first tangible result in years of negotiations. Another round of talks is scheduled for next month in Malaysia. Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said the three-day MILF open assembly, which ends Tuesday, aims to devise a "new formula'' to address long-standing grievances of the Filipino Muslims, who have accused the government in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines of neglecting their rights and economic development. "Obviously, the present formula - autonomy -_ is not working,'' Kabalu said. Mindanao, where the majority of the Muslims live, is one of the poorest regions despite abundance of mineral and agricultural wealth. The government has indicated it would consider expanding an autonomous region for the Muslims beyond the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which was created as a result of a 1996 peace agreement with a former rebel group, the Moro National Liberation Front. But many Muslim groups feel the present degree of autonomy - which includes separate schools and local political and security arrangements - is not enough. At least 13 major Muslim tribes lives outside the autonomous region's territory. Rebel officials said the two sides plan to discuss Muslims' aspiration for self-rule, including control over land and resources. The MILF has been dogged by accusations that it shelters Muslim militants from the Indonesian-based Jemaah Islamiyah terror group, as well as the local Abu Sayyaf organisation. In a bid to dispel doubts over its terror links, which were also criticized by the United States, Kabalu insisted the MILF has been cooperating with the government in going after suspected militants who may be hiding in its territory. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |