Gov’t, MILF tackle Bangsamoro ‘normalization’ next week in KL

From the Manila Bulletin (Sep 18): Gov’t, MILF tackle Bangsamoro ‘normalization’ next week in KL

The process of “normalization” in the projected autonomous Bangsamoro political entity in Mindanao begins next week when the negotiators from the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) meet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“The peace panels of the government and the MILF are scheduled to meet in the last week of September,” a source, who declined to be identified as he is not authorized to talk on the issue, revealed yesterday.

The Kuala Lumpur meeting is all about laying the ground for the implementation of the Annex on Normalization, the source said. It covers security, socio-economic development program, and confidence-building measures.

Under the annex, normalization is defined as “a process whereby communities can achieve their desired quality of life, which includes the pursuit of sustainable livelihood and political participation within a peaceful deliberative society.”

Normalization occurs parallel with the road map for the creation of the Bangsamoro political entity.

Both the GPH and the MILF have said that “normalization” does not have to be in the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) because its provisions are executive doables, or they can be implemented without the need for a new law.

Under the security aspect of the annex is the decommissioning of the estimated 11,000-strong members of the MILF.

Normalization is the fourth and last annex of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed in October, 2013....

http://www.mb.com.ph/govt-milf-tackle-bangsamoro-normalization-next-week-in-kl/