GPH, MILF peace panels condemn series of terror attacks around the world

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 29): GPH, MILF peace panels condemn series of terror attacks around the world

Both the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) negotiating panels on Tuesday strongly condemned the recent wave of deadly terror attacks in various parts the world.

"The separate massacres that happened across the globe during the Lenten season  are cowardly attacks that were designed to sow fear and discord among nations and peoples. Let us not allow ourselves to fall into this trap," both parties said in a joint statement.

Both panels have expressed their deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of victims of these "senseless acts of violence".

To recall, Brussels was rocked by a series of explosion last March 22: two at the departure hall of its airport and another at the Maelbeek subway station in the Belgian capital’s downtown. At least 30 people have been confirmed dead while 230 more were reported wounded.

On March 26, a suicide bomber blew himself up at a football stadium in Babel, south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Jihadist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the explosion which killed at least 30 people and injured 95 others.

Meanwhile, a blast at a public park in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on March 27 claimed at least 69 lives and injured many others. Many eyewitnesses reported that majority of the victims are women and children. Pakistani Taliban's splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar said it was behind the attack.

Both the GPH and the MILF negotiating panels warned that these indiscriminate acts of violence "do not represent true Islam", noting that these actions, in fact, violate the teachings of the religion on peace, tolerance, and understanding.

"Let us remain vigilant yet calm and sober during these trying times as we continue with  our efforts to end armed conflict and build a just peace in our communities," the statement said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=870946