MILF calls on MNLF for sobriety, urges comrades to take the path of peace than war

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 9): MILF calls on MNLF for sobriety, urges comrades to take the path of peace than war
 
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Monday called on a faction of the Moro National Liberation (MNLF) who attacked Zamboanga City coastal villages Monday dawn to refrain from using violence in pushing for ideology.

Ghazali Jaafar, speaking for the MILF, said the small fraction of the MNLF "should take the path of peace" in order to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and properties.

Jaafar, also the MILF's vice chair for political affairs, said MILF members in the provinces that comprised the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were directed to remain neutral and calm.

"The use of force is no longer necessary nowadays," Jaafar told reporters in a radio interview.

But while Jaafar has said the MILF will not, in anyway, participate in the MNLF stance in Zamboanga City, the MILF will get itself involve only for the protection of civilians.

Nur Misuari, whose men led the assault in Zamboanga City Monday with the motive of raising the Bangsamoro Independence Republik flag at the Zamboanga City hall, has publicly declared his opposition to the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement with the MILF.

Last July, he declared an independence of Mindanao with Davao City as its seat of government.

Jaafar said the MILF sees something fishy in the Zamboanga siege describing it as an attempt to derail the resumption of GPH-MILF talks.

GPH and MILF peace panels are set to meet on September 10 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a 10-day marathon 40th round of exploratory talks aimed at completing the discussion on annexes on power sharing.

"The situation in Zamboanga City will definitely affect the resumption of peace negotiations, it was timed with the resumption of Kuala Lumpur meeting," Jaafar noted.

Jaafar said Misuari had publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the upcoming peace accord between Manila and the MILF "so we cannot avoid suspecting the Zamboanga scenario is part of the efforts to derail the process."

Two of the three faction of the MNLF, those led by former Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema and the MNLF-Islamic Command Council, have agreed to cooperate with the Philippine government in reviewing the unimplemented provisions of the 1996 peace agreement between Manila and MNLF.

President Aquino and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process had repeatedly the deal with the MNLF will not exclude the MNLF but it would be inclusive to include all groups in southern Philippines.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=563907