Sultanate Bares Secret Bid To End Sabah Standoff

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 16): Sultanate Bares Secret Bid To End Sabah Standoff

Outside efforts to end the Sabah standoff have stepped into high gear through a “secret diplomatic effort.”

Abraham J. Idjirani, the sultanate’s spokesman, revealed this yesterday as he said the head of state of an unnamed Western country started the effort two or three days ago to bring Malaysia and the Sultanate of Sulu to meet in Brunei to find ways to end the standoff that started on Feb. 12 in Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, Sabah.

Idjirani, citing a reliable source, said the Sultanate of Brunei was tapped by the Western country to communicate to the Malaysian government the effort toward a peaceful resolution of the standoff.

He made the announcement after reiterating the sultanate’s appeal to Malaysia to produce the 10 arrested members of the Royal Security Force (RSF) so there condition would be known. Idjirani said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already sent a “note verbale” to Malaysia concerning the conditions of the RSF members.

“We also would like to make an announcement that a secret diplomatic effort has already been made with a neutral nation and that is now compelling Malaysia to take heed of the that secret diplomatic effort,” said Idjirani, also the secretary general of the sultanate.

Idjirani said Brunei was tapped as the venue and the one to facilitate the peacemaking process.

He said Sultan Jamalul Kiram III had already written Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei to seek his help.

Idjirani said it is “they (Brunei) who knows” the Sabah issue.

However, he refused to call the peace efforts as “secret negotiation” or “back-channeling.”

“No, not a secret negotiation, but a secret diplomatic channel or effort na ginagawa ngayon ng ibang nation to convince the Malaysian government to sit down and discuss as well as to come up with a resolution of the issue between the Malaysian government and the Sultanate of Sulu,” said Idjirani.

He declined to name the main country doing the effort.

(But) we are permitted to announce that there is an ongoing secret diplomatic effort made by sympathetic nations, and the one being informed is a neighboring country in Southeast Asia,” he said.

Charges Filed

Charges of inciting to war and violation of Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) gun ban were filed before a local Tawi-Tawi court against 38 alleged followers of Sultan Kiram and RSF members intercepted in three separate incidents off the seas of Tawi-Tawi by the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said has already ordered Prosecutor General Claro Arellano to immediately indict at least 38 individuals who were believed to be involved in the Sabah crisis.

Earlier reports said authorities confiscated several firearms from the 38 individuals when their boats were intercepted off the waters of Tawi-Tawi last Wednesday.

De Lima said the charges filed against the 38 individuals are violations of the Comelec gun ban, which absorbs the offense of illegal possession of firearms, and Article 118 of the Revised Penal Code or inciting to war.

“The 38 will continue to be detained in the naval facility in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-tawi unless the court says otherwise,” De Lima said.

No State Of Calamity

In Tawi-Tawi, the provincial government said it is still capable of meeting the requirements of the Filipino-Muslim refugees and evacuees that are arriving here from Sabah.

Governor Sadikul Sahali, who also chairs the Provincial Crisis Management Committee (PCMC), has ruled out any plan of the provincial government to declare “Tawi-Tawi under a state of calamity.”

The situation is still manageable and we feel it is not yet necessary for us to declare the province under the state of calamity, since we still have enough funds and food to meet the daily requirements of the refugees and evacuees that are arriving here from Sabah,” Sahali said.

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