The Moro Islamic Liberation (MILF) on Wednesday reiterated that it will not be interfering in the Sabah standoff.
Mohaqher Iqbal, chairman of the peace panel of the MILF, issued the statement as the newly-formed Transition Committee (Transcom) - a 15-member panel tasked to draft the charter of the Bangsamoro political entity- officially convened.
The Transcom was created by President Aquino last December to craft the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
“Our position is very clear: Sabah is not part of the agenda. Our official stand is no comment. That is a bilateral issue between the Philippine government and Malaysia. If the Sulu Sultanate claims it owns Sabah, what we propose is to settle the issue peacefully,” Iqbal said.
He added the Sabah claim has not been part of the Philippine government (GPH)-MILF peace talks since 2001, which is being brokered by Malaysia.
Malaysia, particularly Sabah, is home to some 800,000 Filipino natives from Sulu-Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, two provinces in Mindanao that have been proposed to be included in the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro autonomus region.
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“Sabah has never been the subject of the negotiations. It has never been an issue,” Igbal pointed out when asked what Bangsomoro entity would do to help its constituents in war-torn Sabah.
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman of the Sulu Sultanate, meanwhile, said that they are not convinced of the MILF’s position on the Sabah standoff.
“Their position remains to be seen. To begin with, there was no consultation in the Sulu archipelago area about that (Bangsamoro political entity),” Idjirani said.
“The position of the Sultanate with regards to the Mindanao issue is to resolve it as a whole,” Idjirani added.
Idjirani said the 15-member Transition Committee headed by Iqbal should show its sincerity by drafting a proposal that will “redound to all Muslims in Mindanao, regardless of tribes.” The Sulu archipelago is populated by members of the Tausug tribe while the MILF is in control of areas populated by Maguindanaoan and Maranaw tribes.
“We are apprehensive that the MILF will push for an initiative to drop the Sabah claim,” Idjirani said.
Meanwhile, Idjirani said they are verifying reports that some 100 armed supporters of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III had landed in Sabah. The fighters said Idjirani came from Sulu and from Tawi-Tawi.
Idjirani said the Sultanate of Sulu expects more supporters from Sulu and Tawi Tawi to reinforce the Royal Security Force of Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram who is still locked in conflict with the Malaysian security forces in Sabah.
“We are expecting the force in Sabah to double with the continued human rights violations being committed by Malaysia. It may even drag to a long guerilla war. It will all depend on Malaysia now,” he said.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/04/04/926534/milf-reiterates-it-wont-interfere-sabah-standoff
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