Agence France Presse on Saturday (Aug. 13) reported that, “The Government of the Philippines restarted peace talks with the country’s largest Muslim rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the first under President Rodrigo Duterte aimed at ending decades of violence that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
“They will discuss the road map to clarify certain issues. But let me warn everyone, it is not an easy task. It is very complicated,” Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
Dureza described the relaunching of the talks in Malaysia, the first formal sit-down between the two sides since Duterte took office, as a “big milestone for peace in Mindanao.”
MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim for his part said he welcomed fellow Muslim rebel Nur Misuari, Chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), to join the transition commission to establish the “Bangsamoro” autonomous region in the south.
“For the inclusion of Brother Nur Misuari, the MILF welcomes him joining because we believe there has to be inclusivity in finding a solution to the problem in the Bangsamoro homeland. We need all the players to be onboard,” he said.
While there were some people in the southern Philippines inspired by the Daesh terrorists, Ebrahim said “if the peace process was successful, they (IS) will not garner the people’s support.”
In a press statement posted on OPAPP Website, Dureza said, “We are pleased to be back in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to launch a crucial phase of the Bangsamoro peace process -- the implementing phase. We have agreed that the negotiations phase is over and now it is time to implement what we have agreed we will do. So today we are officially launching the implementing phase of the Bangsamoro peace agreements between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)”.
“The Philippine government has come here in full force to demonstrate how serious we are in implementing all the peace agreements we have signed so far”, Dureza said.
He mentioned some high ranking government officials who are attending the peace talks.
“This implementing phase of the Bangsamoro peace process also marks the transition of the role of the Malaysian government as Third Party Facilitator of the successful peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the MILF towards that of a supporter of Bangsamoro development”, Dureza told the press in Kuala Lumpur.
“This ceremony today is also a public recognition of the significant contribution of Malaysia to the Bangsamoro peace process. We sincerely thank them and invite them now to become one of our Global Partners for Peace, joining the rest of our international development partners here present”, he said.
http://www.luwaran.com/home/index.php/news/76-international/847-gph-milf-restart-peace-talks-in-kuala-lumpur
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