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| GRP, MILF Negotiators Expect Enabling Mechanisms To Be In Place Soon |
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| Written by Darwin Wally T. Wee |
| Thursday, 04 February 2010 07:08 |
 ZAMBOANGA CITY – THE government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expressed high hopes for both parties to come upon a consensus as they are about to resume their second round of peace talks in Kuala Lumpur in the latter part of January. Both peace panels are expected to discuss the key points of the would-be final peace agreement. The scope of the negotiation will touch upon the issue estral domain, and the wealth-sharing scheme of bal, however, clarified that there is no pre-determined timeline for the discussion of the comprehensive political settlement of the Moros, the areas that will be part of their anc Mohagher Iqbal, MILF chief negotiator, said they have already finished drafting their comprehensive peace compact, which is expected to be studied by the government peace panel. Iq pact, even as he said that it is expected to be very ticklish and lengthy. For his part, Rafael Seguis, government chief negotiator, said the government panel has yet to gather all the inputs from the series of consultations the government conducted in recent months before crafting their own proposals. “I would like to emphasize though that the real work for us has just begun, and the greater part still lies ahead. Even as we continue to seek out substantial inputs to the government’s position on the negotiations, we shall be presenting at the negotiating table the essential points drawn up in this assembly,” Seguis said during a consultation here in December. “We look forward to negotiating a comprehensive compact. While there would be differences and difficulties which we would encounter as we try to move forward in this peace process, let us remain focused on our shared goal and aspiration,” he added. As this developed, peace mechanisms which involves the re-entry of foreign peace-keeping troops and the joint government and Moro rebels forces, which is task to run after syndicates in Mindanao, are expected to be fully formalized within this month before both parties will resume their talks. Iqbal said they have already completed their “more than 60-man workforce,” which comprises the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), Ad-hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), and Local Monitoring Teams (LMTs) on their mandates. According to him, they anticipate the arrival of more or less 30 Malaysian troops in Mindanao to resume their mandate as the head of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), along with the countries of the Libya, Brunei, and Japan. The government and the MILF they are still waiting for a word from Norway and Qatar, who were invited to be part of the IMT. In addition, the new entry of International Committee of the Red Cross, Belgium-based Nonviolent Peace Force, and the Mindanao People’s Caucus in IMT, which will focus on the protection of civilians in times of conflict, are also expected to be completed this month. This announcement was also re-echoed by Seguis, saying that the government and MILF will have a meeting for the formulation of the core group of AHJAG. He said the government has appointed a top military official based in this city to head the government party in the AHJAG. “All these mechanisms are expected to be functioning this January,” Seguis said in a separate interview. AHJAG is seen as vital approach to run after terrorist groups and kidnappers whenever they are believed to be hiding in the vicinity of the MILF camps, particularly in the island province of Basilan, and Lanao del Norte, where adduction incidents are on the rise. The mechanism is also being used to prevent misencounter between the two forces, whenever the military will launch operation against bandits. The mandate of the IMT was not extended while AHJAG was deactivated after the negotiation collapsed on 2008 as the territory deal that both parties was about to sign was aborted following issuance of the temporary restraining order of the Supreme court. The high court eventually ruled the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, which would give political power and larger territory to the Moros in Mindanao, as unconstitutional. |