Support for peace event advocated

From the Manila Bulletin (Sep 5): Support for peace event advocated

The government panel negotiating peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) have called for greater public support for the observance of the national peace consciousness month this September.

As this developed, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) sought the convergence of the two peace processes involving the MNLF and the MILF as agreed in 2011 by their leaderships with backing from the Organization Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to flesh out the Philippine government’s vow for “inclusive” peace negotiations in Mindanao.

Seemingly unmindful of Professor Nur Misuari’s declaration of a “Mindanao Republik,” MNLF pioneer leaders belonging to a group called Senior Leaders Forum (SLF) passed a resolution urging the government to infuse the issues of unimplemented provisions of their 1996 agreement with the state with its peace process with MILF.

“We welcome the proposal to achieve a more comprehensive and inclusive political solution to the Bangsamoro problem through convergence of the two peace processes involving the MNLF and the MILF,” said the resolution signed by SLF officials led by Yusop Jikiri, presiding chairperson.

In separate statements, the government panels for the MILF and the NDF-NPA-CPP talks urged the Moro and leftist groups, as well as the public, to support the observance of the 10th National Peace Consciousness Month this September.

“We join the rest of the peace-loving Filipinos in the celebration. It is in this time of the year when we hark back to the milestones our people have collectively built in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Mindanao and the rest of the country,” the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) quoted statement of the panel for the MILF as saying.

The statement added that “This is also an opportune time to reflect on what has made these gains possible and what still needs to be done to realize our peace goals. Behind every triumph was a peace constituency who were there with us, encouraging, praying, and taking steps to ensure that the GPH-MILF peace talks will move forward.”

The panel also appealed to “more Filipinos” to rally “the making of yet another milestone” with the imminent signing of the GPH-MILF Comprehensive Agreement this year.

The government and MILF panels are scheduled to meet this month and resume discussions on the annexes on normalization and power sharing that, together with the completed Annexes on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities, and Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, and the signed Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro, will comprise the Compact Agreement.

http://www.mb.com.ph/support-for-peace-event-advocated/