Aquino gov’t obliged to set foot in Moro rebel camp — MILF

From the Daily Tribune (Feb 9):  Aquino gov’t obliged to set foot in Moro rebel camp — MILF

While admitting that President Aquino’s visit to its stronghold in Maguindanao province is a boost to the peace talks, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has maintained that such move is not voluntary but is part of the provisions of the Framework Agreement signed last year.

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, said the scheduled Monday visit of the President at the Bangsamoro Leadership Management Institute (BLMI) in Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat town, will surely boost the peace talks between the MILF and the government of the Philippines.

“It’s part of an agreement, it’s not a voluntary visit, it was included in the agreement — the launching of programs in line with the peace process that’s why he (Aquino) is coming,” he stressed.

The President is expected to bring along members of his Cabinet involved in the socio-economic programs lined up for the Bangsamoro as part of the Framework Agreement signed last Oct. 15 in Malacañang.

On the MILF’s side, its chairman, Ebrahim Al Haj Murad, will tag along the MILF’s Central Committee during the launching of a social welfare project for mainly Muslim residents of communities where the rebels exert an influence.

Malacañang has said health insurance cards will be distributed to residents, emergency jobs offered to adults and scholarships given to their children at the launch.

The MILF has been fighting since the 1970s for independence in Mindanao, the southern third of the mainly Catholic Philippines that the country’s Muslim minority claim as their ancestral homeland.

An estimated 150,000 people have died in the conflict.

The MILF vowed to give up its quest for an independent homeland in exchange for significant power and wealth-sharing in a new autonomous region.

Negotiators from both sides have been meeting in neighbouring Malaysia to thrash out what they described as contentious items in the plan.

Jaafar said the MILF will have a “minor” role in the security preparations, citing the government as the primary authority in securing the event and the President.

“The government will handle that (security of Aquino)…we will have our part in the security but it’s only minor,” he added.

The BLMI compound is located near the MILF’s main headquarters in Camp Darapanan also in Sultan Kudarat.

Jaafar, however, assured that there would be no untoward incident during the event.
Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said security preparations are under way for the President’s arrival in Maguindanao – the first visit of Aquino to the MILF stronghold.

Meanwhile, the MILF yesterday justified the government’s pouring of millions of pesos in socio-economic programs for the Bangsamoro.

In an editorial over its Web site, the MILF said such influx of funds is contained in the Framework Agreement and is necessary ingredient of conflict resolution.

“But why is the MILF agreeing to this socio-economic deal with the government? The answer is simple; it is part of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Besides, it is to convey to our people and combatants, after signing of the FAB, that there is something that trickles to them as a way of peace dividends,” it said.

“More importantly, the MILF believes this will redound to their greater benefits which could also empower them economically and henceforth politically for more vigorous and sustained assertion of their right to self-determination,” the MILF added.

The MILF also stressed the Aquino administration is not doing such thing unilaterally. “By the way, if the MILF agrees to this socio-economic deal, it is because it is a necessary component of conflict resolutions tried and tested in various parts of the world. It is part of the whole deal. The Aquino administration is not doing it unilaterally but in partnership with the MILF after it was discussed in the negotiating table with facilitation,” it said.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/item/10276-aquino-gov’t-obliged-to-set-foot-in-moro-rebel-camp-—-milf.html