Peace monitors sign cooperation vs terror, drugs

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 29): Peace monitors sign cooperation vs terror, drugs

Peace monitors working under the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) inked Tuesday with Philippine military counterparts here their willingness to share and tackle information leading to the eradication of terrorism and illegal drugs, which they described as evolving “spoilers of peace.”

“Based on our monitoring, the problem on terrorism and illegal drugs have cropped up as main threats to the peace process in Mindanao,” Malaysian Maj. Gen. Datuk Masrani bin Paiman, told reporters here in a press conference.

He said as the Philippine government had been steadily addressing the issues of poverty and illiteracy in Muslim-dominated areas of Mindanao, particularly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, terror groups such as the Maute and Abu Sayyaf had been using illegal drugs to finance their nefarious recruitment activities.

The IMT, a third neutral party activated in 2004, is primarily tasked to oversee the implementation of peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the largest Moro rebel group in Mindanao.

The team, which has maintained its main headquarters in this city, has nearly 100 combined members from Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Japan, Libya, Norway, and the European Union scattered in various parts of Mindanao.

In a statement, the IMT said it joins the GPH-MILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities and Ad-Hoc Joint Action Group on working together by taking pro-active measures in managing spoilers of peace.

The IMT declaration had cited their continuous commitment to share information; joint and coordinated operations on the Philippine Army’s pursuit operation against Abu Toraife’s ISIS-inspired group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the borders of Maguindanao and North Cotabato provinces; maintenance of the Marawi peace corridor; pacification of family feuds; and combat against illegal drugs, among others.

“The high level of cooperation in dealing with some of these highlighted issues will naturally build strong confidence and trust among the peace process stakeholders and greatly contribute to peaceful environment,” the statement said.

The IMT said it hopes that such cooperation takes place in all community-affected areas throughout Mindanao.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1017370