Saturday, August 4, 2018

Bangsamoro gov’t should include 2 MNLF factions – Abbas

From the Manila Bulletin (Aug 3): Bangsamoro gov’t should include 2 MNLF factions – Abbas

Dr. Firdausi Ismail Abbas, member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) and Sultan of Lanao, said last Wednesday that Nur Misuari’s faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) must be given participation in the provisional Bangsamoro government.


Dr. Firdausi Ismail Abbas (Alvin Veri / MANILA BULLETIN)

President Duterte is expected to appoint members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which will be the interim government until 2022, to be led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Abbas, foreign affairs vice chairperson of Yusop Jikiri’s faction of the MNLF, said he is proposing an inclusive BTA that is not dominated by any single group to ensure democracy.

His proposal includes giving the MNLF 20 percent of the seats in the BTA – 10 percent of which will go to Jikiri’s group while the other 10 percent to Misuari’s faction.

“We still consider them (Misuari’s faction) part of the MNLF,” said Abbas, adding that this is despite the fact that Misuari had refused to join in hammering out the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.


Earlier, Duterte expressed willingness to listen to Misauri’s sentiments to the point of offering “a separate autonomy.” But for Abbas, this is “not feasible and not advisable.”

“It would be an encroachment of the territory which has already been outlined for the Bangsamoro autonomous government… And if it is to accommodate Nur Misuari then it would mean getting Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi,” he explained.

Nevertheless, Abbas, who handles BTC’s committee on administration of justice, agrees that the law can still be amended.



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