Muslims, Christians Join Peace Summit

From the Manila Bulletin (Dec 28): Muslims, Christians Join Peace Summit

More than 2,000 barangay (village) leaders and representatives of various civil society organizations (CSOs) attended a public forum on the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) that was held recently in Parang, Maguindanao – displaying their support to the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The forum was organized by the Maguindanao provincial government, local officials of Parang, and the Iranun Development Council (IDC), a socio-economic planning body comprising the municipal governments of Iranun-dominated towns in the 1st District of the province.

Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) caretaker-Governor Mujiv Hataman called on the participants to the forum to support the FAB and the newly-created Transition Commission (TC) tasked to oversee the crafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will pave the way for the ARMM’s replacement with a new autonomous political entity.

The forum was attended by Mayor Ramon Piang of Upi, Maguindanao, Ustadz Rabbie Anggal of the MILF, Iranun Muslims and Christian village leaders, and local non-Muslim CSOs. Piang explained the contents of the FAB and its ramifications to the forum participants as he clarified that there were no serious misunderstandings between the GPH and MILF panels, where both sides failed to hold a traditional closing rites for the December 13 to 15 formal talks in Malaysia, and issue a joint communiqué on the outcome of the three-day negotiations. “Personally, If I am asked to say something about it, there was only a disagreement on ‘language’ that was to be used for a certain issue that both sides tried to iron out. Negotiations are like that. There is no truth to speculations that the talks might again collapse. The negotiations remain very cordial, in good pitch, full of hope,” he said.

Piang, Ibrahim Ibay, Mangudadatu, and Hataman took turns on calling on the people present in the forum to support the FAB and the newly-created Transition Commission tasked to oversee the crafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will pave the way for the ARMM’s replacement with a new autonomous political entity.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/387452/muslims-christians-join-peace-summit