Malaysian peace observers in Mindanao end tour of duty; new team coming

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 11): Malaysian peace observers in Mindanao end tour of duty; new team coming

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao -- The 19 members of the Malaysian contingent of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) on Monday ended their tour of duty as another batch of Malaysian peace is expected.

In send off ceremonies held Monday morning at the Army's 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Brig. Gen. Cesar Sedillo, 6th ID deputy commander, lauded the Malaysian observers, led by IMT-7 head of mission Gen. Abdulrahim Yusuf for their succession tour of duty that led to the "zero" Army-Moro rebel encounter in the last 12 months.

The IMT, composed of foreign observers, had been monitoring the implementation of the cessation of hostilities between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front while peace talks are on going.

As agreed by the GPH-MILF peace panels during the last exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur, a new team of observers from Malaysia will arrive next week to continue its participation in the ceasefire monitoring.

Incoming IMT 8th mission head Major Gen. Fadzil Mokhtar and his men will serve as peace monitors until March 2014.

Sedillo told the outgoing Malaysian peace observers that the 6th ID and all units under it will extend the same assistance and cooperation to the incoming Malaysian peace monitors.

Aside from words of thanks and appreciation, Gen. Sedillo also pinned citation medals to Yusuf and other Malaysian police and military officials in recognition to their peacekeeping jobs.

Sedillo also cited Gen. Yusuf’s group for its role in addressing domestic armed conflict involving warring Muslim clans in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

Sedillo noted that not a single Army-MILF encounter happened since March 2012 and attributed this to the religious observance by both GPH and MILF of the ceasefire agreement and the participation of IMT.

IMT, composed mostly of unarmed Malaysian police and military personnel and representatives from other countries like Japan, Qatar, Indonesia and the European Union, started peacekeeping missions in 2003.

During the send off ceremonies, not one from among the Philippine and Malaysian military officials talked about the brewing skirmishes in Sabah where Malaysian security forces have been hunting down Sulu Royal Army of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.

Maguindanao Governor Esmael Toto Mangudadatu also lauded the Malaysian peace monitors for helping the local government units in resolving armed conflict involving Moro clans locked in long standing family feud.

Acting Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman also cited the Malaysian peace observers for their roles in mediating for Moro families engaged in long-drawn violence caused by "rido" (family feud).

Citing his office has extended the needed logistic and manpower support to the outgoing peace contingent, Hataman vowed the same support for the incoming Malaysian peace observers.

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