GPH, MILF form “third party” monitors

From the Mindanao Cross (Feb 4): GPH, MILF form “third party” monitors

The government’s peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continues to achieve gains as both sides ended their 35th round of formal exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur with “many issues resolved and agreements reached.”

In a joint statement, the parties said they achieved something that made the process move forward. “A milestone with the signing of the Terms of Reference for the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT), the body that will review, assess, evaluate, and monitor the implementation of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and its Annexes,” both sides said in a joint statement.

“The Parties also agreed to extend the respective tours of duty of the International Monitoring Team and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group for another year in recognition of their important roles in the peace process, without prejudice to adjustments that may be needed pursuant to developments in the crafting of the Annexes to the FAB,” it further said.

Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chair of the GPH panel, said the four Technical Working Groups have “arrived at good compromises on many of the remaining issues,” adding that these tangible results were reaped six months after the panels formed their first two TWGs in August 2012.

Before the talks closed, the working drafts produced by the TWGs on the Annexes on Wealth-Sharing, Power-sharing, Normalization, and Transitional Arrangements and Modalities were reported to the panels for discussion and referral to their respective principals.

In all, Coronel-Ferrer said the talks had been very challenging but the two parties “have a clearer process now, and a more definitive estimate of our timeframes to complete the comprehensive agreement.”

The TPMT, whose members will be identified within one month, will be composed of representatives from local and international non-government organizations to be nominated by the GPH and the MILF. It will continue to function until an Exit Agreement between the two parties is reached.

Ferrer explained that the TPMT is different from the IMT, the former composed of nations that will help assess, review, and monitor the implementation of the agreement while the IMT monitors only the cease-fire agreement.

“Once the final peace pact is signed, the cease-fire will become permanent,” she said.

The TPMT could be composed of but not limited to the members of Organization of Islamic Conference. Several developed nations have already been participating as members of the International Contact Group.

MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal shared the same sentiment, saying the panels are “moving towards the right direction.”

“Hopefully, very soon, we would be able to conclude our negotiations on the substantive issues,” he stated.

“I think, for now, the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer flickering, it’s very clear,” Iqbal said.

“And the continued commitment and decisiveness of all the parties, I think, God willing, we will be able to finish the process,” he added.

Iqbal expressed the MILF’s determination to arrive at a comprehensive agreement with the government despite the challenges. “We are not entertaining any failure in these negotiations. Our minds, our hearts are focused that we must be able to conclude this process successfully.”

“Lastly, I would like to appeal to both sides – the GPH panel and the MILF panel – to start due diligence from the moment we return to our respective places and be able to report to our respective principals,” he added.

Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato’ Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohammed said that both sides were able to achieve “a great step forward.”

“Initially, we are a bit pessimistic because of the slowness of the progress, especially on the working groups. But as it turned out, I think the working groups are moving fast, especially in the last two days to the conclusion of the agreement,” he said.

Reporting on the progress of the discussions on the annexes, Ghafar said that three more items need to be completed on wealth-sharing and two more on power-sharing.

The draft Transitional Arrangements and Modalities Annex has already been completed by the TWG and received by the Panels for final review of their principals.

Ghafar thanked the Philippine government for delivering its first political commitment as stated in the FAB, the creation of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (TC) through the passage of Executive Order (EO) 120.

Last December, President Benigno Aquino III issued EO 120 creating the TC that will draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law to replace the Organic Act that created the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Congress and Senate issued their respective resolutions of support to the EO.

Both the government and the MILF have continued its information campaign in various areas in Mindanao about the Framework Agreement.

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