‘MNLF 1996 peace pact cannot be reconciled with MILF FAB’

From the MILF Website (Dec 17): ‘MNLF 1996 peace pact cannot be reconciled with MILF FAB’

The head of the MILF peace panel secretariat expressed strong conviction that the GRP-MNLF Final Peace Agreement of 1996 and the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) cannot be reconciled, because they have different substance and features and more importantly the former can no longer be asserted effectively, because Indonesia, head of the OIC Committee of the Eight, and MNLF leader Farouk Hussin, then representing the MNLF in one of the sessions of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and then governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari accepted and occupied as governor, said that both Phase 1 (political) and Phase 2 (Economic) were all implemented by the Philippine government.

“However, the two peace pacts can complement each other.” This was the remarks of Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat, in reaction to moves by many quarters including the OIC that both peace pacts have to be linked or reconciled especially in relation to territorial coverage. He cited the latest OIC Resolution on the Muslims in Southern Philippines adopted in Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti last month, as basis of his clarification. Articles 9 and 10 of that Resolution follow: “Invites all parties to improve on the Framework Agreement by linking it to the Peace Agreement of 1976 and abiding by the area of the autonomous region stipulated in this Agreement and reconfirmed in the Final Peace Agreement of 1996” and “Calls upon the Secretary General to hold another session of the tripartite meeting at the earliest to contain any impacts that may result from the Framework Agreement between GPH and MILF, save the 1996 Agreement and link it to the Framework Agreement, and develop a mechanism between MNLF, MILF and GPH to oversee the implementation of these two agreements i.e. the agreement with the MILF and the agreements with the MNLF.

He also said that he is not personally comfortable with the creation of an Oversight Committee composed of the GPH, MNLF, and MILF, describing it as an “odd arrangement”. He clarified, however, that his reservation is not binding on the MILF leadership, which has the final say on issues like this one. ‘ Mantawil further asserted that integration of the NNLF and its combatants into the national body politic is the end state of the GRP-MNLF FPA, while the GPH-MILF FAB envisions a state-substate asymmetrical relationship wherein the totality of the relationship between the Bangsamoro and the larger Philippine state is clearly defined.

However, Mantawil expressed his gratitude to the OIC for inviting no less than MILF chair Murad Ebrahim and three others to the conference in Djibouti last month. He also thanked the OIC for granting the MILF a “guest” status and the privilege to attend future sessions of the OIC including the OIC Summit conference in Cairo, Egypt next year.

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