MILF freely chooses the right road that leads to attaining just and lasting peace”- Iqbal

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 18): “MILF freely chooses the right road that leads to attaining just and lasting peace”- Iqbal

Some 145 Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF) combatants have registered manifesting intention to formally join the decommissioning under the Annex on Normalization of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III together with some cabinet members, legislators, GPH-MILF peace panels, local officials, religious and security sectors and other stakeholders graced  the ceremonial turnover of weapons and decommissioning of the MILF Combatants on Tuesday at the Old Provincial Capitol in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Decommissioning is a process that includes activities aimed at achieving a smooth transition for the BIAF members to productive civilian life. The MILF shall undertake a graduated program for the decommissioning of its forces and turn-over of weapons so that these are put beyond use.

 According to MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal: “We are at the crossroad after 17 years of hard and long negotiations and now through a strong partnership between the GPH-MILF we are here working for peace.”

Iqbal explained that there are two roads wherein we have to choose the right one because it will lead us to attain the just and lasting peace.

“The first road will lead us to dark Bangsamoro area where there is no hope, no peace and no justice while the second road leads us to a Bangsamoro area that is happy, peaceful, prosperous and free,” he said.

He added the MILF had made a choice.  Choosing a Bangsamoro that is happy and peaceful, with security over insecurity, freedom over war, development over poverty – that is our choice, we choose it freely, we choose it for the Bangsamoro and we choose it for all Filipinos who seek peace.

“This is the hope and aspiration of the Philippine government under H.E President Benigno Aquino III and the MILF led by chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim – this is also the hope and sincere expectation of the Malaysian government as third party facilitator,” Iqbal said.

The MILF peace panel chair said, this decision is one of the most difficult decisions they have done in their years of struggle for self determination.

“We want to show to the world that the MILF will always comply the congregations set for the peace agreements,” he stressed.

He emphasized that if one wants peace, prepare for peace. This is the start of MILF’s preparation for peace time in the Bangsamoro by taking this decommissioning - it is the first of the many slides towards the achievement for peace.

A total of 75 weapons consisting of garand rifles, carbines, M-203 armalite rifles, caliber 50 barrel rifle, rocket propelled grenade launchers, caliber 50 machine guns, 81 mm mortars and 60mm mortars were turned over to the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) led by Turkish Ambassador Haydar Berk with Norway and Brunei as well as GPH and MILF representatives as members.

The weapons have been transported to Camp Abubakar for storage under close security by government and MILF forces.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1661434607016/-milf-freely-chooses-the-right-road-that-leads-to-attaining-just-and-lasting-peace---iqbal