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| Southeast Asia |
| President Gloria orders capture of MLF Camp |
| 2003-02-12 |
| President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday ordered the military to capture a key camp of the largest Muslim separatist group after 70 people were reported killed in renewed fighting in Mindanao. "As of 2:00 pm (0600 GMT) today, I have ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to capture and occupy the Buliok complex," the President said in a statement. You go, girl! She said the offensive was "not directed against" the MILF but that soldiers were under orders to "defend themselves against any force blocking their mission to eliminate criminal gangs in Mindanao." Since the MILF is a criminal gang I guess this is just diplospeak. The fighting occurred as the government and MILF were preparing for peace talks in Malaysia after signing a ceasefire agreement two years ago. Southern military chief Lieutenant General Narciso Abaya said that the fighting, involving several thousand troops and MILF guerrillas, had left an estimated 60 MILF rebels dead based on field reports. However, no bodies had been recovered, officials said. According to military chief of staff General Dionisio Santiago, three soldiers were killed and 18 others wounded in the clashes which began on Tuesday after the MILF guerillas tried to break out of a military cordon on the outskirts of Pikit town near the southern city of Cotabato. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu placed the number of casualties at 10 soldiers and one rebel dead. Funny how his numbers are different, isn't it? Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday called a suspension of the fighting in deference to a Muslim holiday. But the military charged that the MILF forces continued to harass them. You can't attack muslims during their holidays, but they can attack you anytime. Government sentiment further hardened after the MILF boycotted a meeting Wednesday in Cotabato City to discuss ending the fighting. "We cannot hold talks when the troops on the ground are fighting," Kabalu said, insisting that the military must pull out of the area before talks could resume. Since you are losing, I don't think talks are going to start anytime soon, Kabalu. Presidential envoy Jesus Dureza said he would pursue "back-channel talks" with the rebel leaders instead. Cotabato City and nearby provinces were without electricity on Wednesday after suspected MILF rebels blew up two steel transmission towers overnight. The MILF denied they were behind the blasts. "Wasn't us, it was , er, someone else." Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes deplored the MILF decision to boycott the truce talks, saying it was "clear evidence of a lack of sincerity on their part." Reyes said in Manila that the military were after two outlaw groups that were allegedly hiding in MILF territory. They included two MILF commanders suspected of a lethal bombing that killed 15 people in December as well as members of the Pentagon group, a local kidnap gang of alleged former MILF members. He accused the MILF of allowing the enclave to be used as "a safe haven for lawless elements," where kidnappers could stash their hostages so they could negotiate freely for ransom. Asked in a television interview if violence could be averted if the MILF surrendered the fugitives, Reyes replied, "that would be a good first step." |
| Posted by:Steve |