The commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division said they are thankful to the group for having served professionally for one year in areas covered by the division. Philstar.com/File photo
MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Soldiers from Brunei helping enforce the ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will return to their country this month after a 12-month peacekeeping duty in Mindanao.
The Bruneian government replaces its contingent in the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) annually after a year-long stint in potential flashpoint areas in Mindanao.
The commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), Major Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., on Saturday said he and commanders of units under him are thankful to the group for having served professionally for one year in areas covered by 6th ID.
There has not been any single military-MILF encounter in 6th ID’s area since 2010.
For most peace advocacy groups in central Mindanao, the feat was ushered in by close security coordination among stakeholders to the ceasefire accord which government and rebel negotiators crafted in July 1997 in Cagayan de Oro City.
The new Brunei IMT contingent is expected to arrive in Mindanao anytime this month.
The IMT, comprised of soldiers from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, and non-uniformed conflict resolution and rehabilitation experts from Japan and Norway, has been helping monitor the government-MILF ceasefire since early 2004.
“The presence of the Brunei group in the multinational IMT is a big help to efforts of maintaining the peace we have on the ground. We are as thankful to the other contingents in the IMT,” Galvez said.
The outgoing Brunei contingent, led by Lt. Col. Azman bin Haji Bangkol, has started initiating traditional exit engagements with different foreign and local organizations helping push the Mindanao peace process forward.
Bangkol and his subordinates on Thursday paid the MILF’s figurehead, Al-Haj Murad, a farewell visit at Camp Darapanan in northwest of Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.
Murad had told Bangkol and his men the MILF is grateful to the government of Brunei for supporting the Mindanao peace process, meant to put a negotiated closure to the nagging, decades-old Moro issue.
"The Brunei IMT contingent’s participation in the peace process is now part of the Bangsamoro history," Ebrahim told The STAR on Saturday via text message.
Senior members of the MILF central committee were also present in Thursday’s meeting between Murad and the outgoing Bruneian IMT members.
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2016/09/17/1624687/bruneian-troops-complete-mindanao-peacekeeping-duty
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