Misuari’s son installed as MNLF vice chair

From the Daily Tribune (Feb 9): Misuari’s son installed as MNLF vice chair

The eldest son of Moro National Liberation Front founding Chairman Nur Misuari was installed as new vice chairman of the MNLF Misuari faction’s Central Committee during a recent general assembly in Sulu — signaling the rise of next generation of Muslim leaders in Mindanao.

Hadji Uto Karim Misuari, who is in his late 30s, assumed as MNLF-Misuari faction’s Number 2 man during Sunday’s MNLF leadership assembly at Camp Astana in Sitio Bakud, Barangay Kagay, Indanan.

Karim Misuari has a master’s degree in Arabic and Shariah obtained in Libya.

The younger Misuari replaced Orlando Olamit from Davao who resigned from his post due to health reasons.

The elder Misuari remains the acknowledged chairman of his MNLF faction which declared independence from the Philippine government in 2013 with the establishment of Bangsamoro Republik.

The whole-day activity was attended by estimated 2,000 MNLF members from various parts of Mindanao.

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the military’s Joint Task Group Sulu, said that the assembly was peacefully adjourned at around 4 p.m.

He said there was no mention of any violent activities coming from the MNLF during the assembly presided over by Nur Misuari. “He (elder Misuari) issued his guidance. He has lost weight and looked old,” said Arrojado.

Misuari is wanted for rebellion in connection to the Zamboanga City siege.

Arrojado, on the other hand, described the younger Misuari as “more of an academician.”

Among those tackled during the meeting was the result of the tripartite review of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia recently.

The MNLF is insisting that the 1996 FPA between the MNLF and the government of the Philippines (GPH) was not fully implemented.

Also discussed was the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) agreed upon by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a breakaway faction of the MNLF, and the Aquino administration.

“As observed, there was no mention of any future hostile actions from the MNLF leadership particularly on the alleged another Zambo Siege 2,” said Arrojado, referring to the September 2013 siege of Zamboanga City by hundreds of MNLF fighters.

The siege dragged on for three weeks and resulted in the killing of dozens of MNLF fighters and government troops while more than 100,000 civilians were displaced.

The MNLF attack was in in protest of the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro that gave way to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the MILF and the Aquino government which paved the way for the crafting of the BBL.

“The MNLF are concentrated with their reorganizational structures and the non-passage of BBL is much welcome and favorable to them,” Arrojado said.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/misuari-s-son-installed-as-mnlf-vice-chair