Victims of the Zamboanga siege and Muslim groups in Zamboanga City are urging the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to stop recognizing MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari as the sole representative of the Bangsamoro people after leading the bloody attacks in this city which have killed more than 200 people and displaced over 120,000 civilians.
The reactions came after OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu signed a letter on November 24 inviting Misuari to participate in the upcoming OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Conakry in Guinea in West Africa on December 9 to 11. The letter released by the followers of Misuari prompted the internally-displaced persons (IDP’s) and Muslim groups to oppose the attendance of Misuari to the meeting.
The Mindanao Examiner in its report on December 5 quoted Fredilyn Ramirez, 35, one of those taken captives by the followers of Misuari during the siege on September 9, said the time is ripe for the OIC to heed the real sentiments of the people on the ground that the struggle of the Bangsamoro does not only rely in a single person.
“I am not in favour that he will represent the Bangsamoro in the OIC after what his men did in Zamboanga. My father was killed while being hostage by the MNLF and until now his body has yet to be found,” Ramirez lamented as quoted by the local paper in the city. Ramirez and his two sisters narrowly escaped at the height of firefight.
“Actually, we are traumatized every time we hear his name. His name is now associated with war,” Ramirez said.
“If there will be someone who will represent the Bangsamoro in the OIC, it should not be Nur Misuari. I believed that are many good Muslim leaders who can represent (the Moros) in the OIC and can unite the Christians and Muslims in Mindanao and work (together) to bring peace and order in Mindanao,” he added.
On September 9, followers of Misuari stormed at least seven coastal villages of Zamboanga City, shooting civilians and took more than 100 hostages to get attention in setting up their independent state. But in the days that followed, it was reported that they only wanted to parade in downtown Zamboanga and hoist the MNLF Flag which authorities did not allow.
The siege lasted for three weeks with almost half of the 300 MNLF followers were killed, while others surrendered or captured. Misuari, other commanders and followers are on the run following the issuance of warrant of arrest by the regional trial court following the attack. There is no reliable information about Uztadz Habier Malik, the right-hand man of Misuari but allegedly he succumbed to gunshot wounds after escaping from the joint military-Philippine National Police who made clearing operations in the scene of the firefight for several days.
Some MNLF commanders said Misuari duped them. They alleged that they were only told to make a peaceful rally at downtown Zamboanga but fighting ensued with government troops in several coastal areas of the city that lasted for 21 days. On the first day, September 9, MNLF-Misuari followers instantly killed at least three civilians.
Prof. Ali T. Yacub, president of the Muslim group Golden Crescent of Peace Builders and Affiliates, said that the OIC should know the atrocities Misuari and his men have done in this city. The bulk of the victims are Bangsamoro themselves, whom Misuari is trying to represent as quoted by the Mindanao Examiner.
“The OIC may not have the true and official report of what the men of Misuari did to Zamboanga City. The OIC officials must to see for themselves the crime committed by [MNLF-Misuari commander Khabir] Malik and his men against our people. Unless this done, Misuari will continue to be regarded as representing that Bangsamoro which is wrong,” he said.
The same sentiments were also raised by Edmund Gumbahali, the president of the Panglima Hawani Foundation Inc., a non-governmental organization based in Jolo the capital town of the island province of Sulu.
“Inviting Misuari to attend international sorties is creating more internal problems in the MNLF and even in the peace process. This will again create propaganda and misreading among ground commanders and forces to focus on armed struggle because MNLF- Nur Misuari is still supported by the OIC and Philippine laws have no effect to a revolutionary leader like Misuari,” he said.
For years, the pan-Islamic group recognized Misuari as the representative of the Bangsamoro. However, in recent years, the OIC is trying to facilitate unity even among leaders of the MNLF after splintering into several factions due to leadership issues, the report further said.
The Bangsamoro Coordinating Forum created by OIC was purposely to harmonize the positions of the MNLF and the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front. However, the initiative has yet to make strides after Misuari himself has expressed his reservations on the unification efforts of the OIC.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/701-victims-of-zamboanga-siege-and-muslim-groups-urge-oic-to-stop-recognizing-chairman-misuari
The Mindanao Examiner in its report on December 5 quoted Fredilyn Ramirez, 35, one of those taken captives by the followers of Misuari during the siege on September 9, said the time is ripe for the OIC to heed the real sentiments of the people on the ground that the struggle of the Bangsamoro does not only rely in a single person.
“I am not in favour that he will represent the Bangsamoro in the OIC after what his men did in Zamboanga. My father was killed while being hostage by the MNLF and until now his body has yet to be found,” Ramirez lamented as quoted by the local paper in the city. Ramirez and his two sisters narrowly escaped at the height of firefight.
“Actually, we are traumatized every time we hear his name. His name is now associated with war,” Ramirez said.
“If there will be someone who will represent the Bangsamoro in the OIC, it should not be Nur Misuari. I believed that are many good Muslim leaders who can represent (the Moros) in the OIC and can unite the Christians and Muslims in Mindanao and work (together) to bring peace and order in Mindanao,” he added.
On September 9, followers of Misuari stormed at least seven coastal villages of Zamboanga City, shooting civilians and took more than 100 hostages to get attention in setting up their independent state. But in the days that followed, it was reported that they only wanted to parade in downtown Zamboanga and hoist the MNLF Flag which authorities did not allow.
The siege lasted for three weeks with almost half of the 300 MNLF followers were killed, while others surrendered or captured. Misuari, other commanders and followers are on the run following the issuance of warrant of arrest by the regional trial court following the attack. There is no reliable information about Uztadz Habier Malik, the right-hand man of Misuari but allegedly he succumbed to gunshot wounds after escaping from the joint military-Philippine National Police who made clearing operations in the scene of the firefight for several days.
Some MNLF commanders said Misuari duped them. They alleged that they were only told to make a peaceful rally at downtown Zamboanga but fighting ensued with government troops in several coastal areas of the city that lasted for 21 days. On the first day, September 9, MNLF-Misuari followers instantly killed at least three civilians.
Prof. Ali T. Yacub, president of the Muslim group Golden Crescent of Peace Builders and Affiliates, said that the OIC should know the atrocities Misuari and his men have done in this city. The bulk of the victims are Bangsamoro themselves, whom Misuari is trying to represent as quoted by the Mindanao Examiner.
“The OIC may not have the true and official report of what the men of Misuari did to Zamboanga City. The OIC officials must to see for themselves the crime committed by [MNLF-Misuari commander Khabir] Malik and his men against our people. Unless this done, Misuari will continue to be regarded as representing that Bangsamoro which is wrong,” he said.
The same sentiments were also raised by Edmund Gumbahali, the president of the Panglima Hawani Foundation Inc., a non-governmental organization based in Jolo the capital town of the island province of Sulu.
“Inviting Misuari to attend international sorties is creating more internal problems in the MNLF and even in the peace process. This will again create propaganda and misreading among ground commanders and forces to focus on armed struggle because MNLF- Nur Misuari is still supported by the OIC and Philippine laws have no effect to a revolutionary leader like Misuari,” he said.
For years, the pan-Islamic group recognized Misuari as the representative of the Bangsamoro. However, in recent years, the OIC is trying to facilitate unity even among leaders of the MNLF after splintering into several factions due to leadership issues, the report further said.
The Bangsamoro Coordinating Forum created by OIC was purposely to harmonize the positions of the MNLF and the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front. However, the initiative has yet to make strides after Misuari himself has expressed his reservations on the unification efforts of the OIC.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/701-victims-of-zamboanga-siege-and-muslim-groups-urge-oic-to-stop-recognizing-chairman-misuari
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