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| Southeast Asia | |
| release Of Muslim Rebel Leader Imminent, Says Lawyer | |
| 2006-05-11 | |
| Zamboanga City, 11 May (AKI) - A court in the Philippines has granted a plea by Nur Misuari, founder of the Moro National Liberation Front, to be placed under house arrest. The court also allowed Misuari, who has been in prison for five years on charges of rebellion, his request to seek medical attention. Despite being well-received, the news of the court decision did not satisfy Ulka Ulama, one of Misuari's lawyers, who told Adnkronos International (AKI) his client's detention was illegal and predicted that Misuari will be released soon. He said freeing the former rebel leader will be useful for the peace process in the region. According to Ulama, Manila does not have any legal basis for keeping Misuari in prison, or any proof or testimonies to win the case in court. "In the first place the provision of the Filipino legal system for a speedy trial to take place within two years has already been violated," said Ulama. "Moreover, the government has already admitted that it is lacking evidence and witnesses for the trial," he said. Misuari is the founder and leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) the rebel group in the south of the Philippines which first appeared in 1972 struggling for the creation of a Moro Nation. Followers of Islam - called Moros or Moors by the Spanish - make up a sizeable population of Mindanao. Under Misuari's leadership, the MNLF signed a peace accord with Manila and laid down its arms accepting partial autonomy of the region in 1996. Part of the agreement saw the formation of the Autononomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in four provinces of the island. Misuari was made the governor of ARMM. Problems arose however when it became clear that the ARMM was unable to resolve the economic problems of the minority Muslims. That led to a break-up of the MNLF and the split between Misuari and Manila which accused Misuari of having backed down from the promises made at the time the peace accord was signed. Manila also accused Misuari of having led rebellion at a military camp in Jolo, in November 2001 which led to the deaths of 100 people. Misuari fled to Malaysia, where he was arrested and deported back to the Philippines. Requests have been made on several occasion for Misuari's release both by the Organisation of Islamic Conference and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the rebel group formed in 1977 as a break-away of the MNLF. According to Ulama, Misuari's release will also be important for the peace process currently underway in the region. "There still are many MisuariÂ’s diehards in the forests of Jolo," said Ulama. "If he were to be released, it is quite likely that they would return home avoiding further clashes and further victims," he said.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 "Well, we was taking him to a spot he said was a secret arms cache, and then..." |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-05-11 10:43 |
| #1 "Oops... Looks like he tripped and fell, accidentally shooting himself in the back of the head six times... Kinda like Aquino..." |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-05-11 10:41 |