The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Friday said the peace negotiations are anchored on “people-centered agenda” and the Sulu sultanate should not feel it is not part of the process.
The MILF, which has been in peace talks with Philippine government, brokered by Malaysia, made the reaction on Friday amid the current standoff between the Malaysian forces and the armed followers of the Sulu sultanate involving Sabah land dispute.
In its weekly editorial, the MILF on its website said the talks have been inclusive and that all factors were considered and accommodated particularly the sentiments of the sultanates. “It is fully admitted that the role of the sultanates is well recorded in the niche of Moro history and we are always proud of it. Had they not withstood the invasions of colonizers, there would have been no Moros and Islam today in Mindanao,” the MILF said.
In its weekly editorial, the MILF on its website said the talks have been inclusive and that all factors were considered and accommodated particularly the sentiments of the sultanates. “It is fully admitted that the role of the sultanates is well recorded in the niche of Moro history and we are always proud of it. Had they not withstood the invasions of colonizers, there would have been no Moros and Islam today in Mindanao,” the MILF said.
Since the negotiations started in 1997, the MILF said it laid down all issues on the table. “The core is to restore back to our people the right to govern themselves, which was deprived of them when the so-called Philippine Republic was established in 1946,” the MILF said.
The renewed claim was heightened when hundreds of armed followers of the Sulu sultanate sailed to Sabah and started to camp at Lahad Datu more than week ago. The group’s leaders asked the Malaysia government to give them back the authority over Sabah, which is now a Malaysian state, but used to part of the Sulu sultanate.
The descendants of Sultan of Sulu said they decided to reclaim Sabah after they were sidetracked in the negotiations between the government and the MILF. It was not even clear though if one of the demands of the sultanate is to put Sabah as part of the new semi-independent region in Mindanao under the framework agreement that was earlier signed by the government and the MILF.
The descendants of the Sultan of Sulu have refused to vacate the area amid appeals from the governments of the Philippines and Malaysia. The MILF said it recognizes the power once held by the sultanates in southern Philippines.
Both the government and the MILF are expected to sign a comprehensive agreement next month to formally start the transition process in creating the new Bangsamoro region.
NAVY BEEFS UP CROSS-BORDER PATROLS
The descendants of Sultan of Sulu said they decided to reclaim Sabah after they were sidetracked in the negotiations between the government and the MILF. It was not even clear though if one of the demands of the sultanate is to put Sabah as part of the new semi-independent region in Mindanao under the framework agreement that was earlier signed by the government and the MILF.
The descendants of the Sultan of Sulu have refused to vacate the area amid appeals from the governments of the Philippines and Malaysia. The MILF said it recognizes the power once held by the sultanates in southern Philippines.
Both the government and the MILF are expected to sign a comprehensive agreement next month to formally start the transition process in creating the new Bangsamoro region.
NAVY BEEFS UP CROSS-BORDER PATROLS
The Philippine Navy has beefed up its cross-border patrols in the waters between Philippines and Malaysia to prevent movement of armed groups amid the standoff in Sabah involving Malaysian forces and armed followers of the Sulu sultanate.
“Appropriate numbers of our assets have been deployed in the waters of Tawi-Tawi (the country’s southernmost island province that borders Malaysia),” Lt. Cmdr. Gregory G. Fabic, Navy spokesperson, told BusinessWorld by phone on Friday.
In a separate interview, Captain Rafael G. Mariano, the deputy commander for fleet operation of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command, said the Navy has deployed at least eight vessels for visual monitoring. He said most of the vessels are patrols boats, and one transport boat.
“The transport boat was deployed just in case the tension in Sabah will defuse. It will be used to transport (our countrymen) back,” he told BusinessWorld. The Navy, he said, is doing round-the-clock cross-border patrol to prevent suspected armed followers of the Sulu sultanate from going to Sabah.
He said there are existing four navy vessels deployed in Tawi-Tawi when armed followers of the Sultan slipped through the borders on last week. Mr. Fabic said the augmentation of the Navy’s assets is in response to the government efforts to solve the crisis. Mr. Mariano said there has been coordination being made with their counterparts from the Malaysian Navy in securing the border.
The Sultan’s armed followers are now camping at Lahad Datu, a town in Tawau Division in Sabah, since last week. They refused to return to Sulu despite repeated appeals from the Philippine government.
Officials in Malacañang and the Foreign Affairs department have earlier made statements that the mission of the Sultan’s followers is not sanctioned by the Philippine government. Malaysian authorities have already sealed their areas to contain the movement of armed followers of the Sultan following a recent statement of Sulu Sultan Jamarul Kiram, III, that his followers were ordered not to vacate the area
He said there are existing four navy vessels deployed in Tawi-Tawi when armed followers of the Sultan slipped through the borders on last week. Mr. Fabic said the augmentation of the Navy’s assets is in response to the government efforts to solve the crisis. Mr. Mariano said there has been coordination being made with their counterparts from the Malaysian Navy in securing the border.
The Sultan’s armed followers are now camping at Lahad Datu, a town in Tawau Division in Sabah, since last week. They refused to return to Sulu despite repeated appeals from the Philippine government.
Officials in Malacañang and the Foreign Affairs department have earlier made statements that the mission of the Sultan’s followers is not sanctioned by the Philippine government. Malaysian authorities have already sealed their areas to contain the movement of armed followers of the Sultan following a recent statement of Sulu Sultan Jamarul Kiram, III, that his followers were ordered not to vacate the area
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=Sulu-sultanate-part-of-the-southern-peace-process,-says-MILF&id=66285
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