DFA CANCELS OIC PRESS BRIEFING AHEAD OF SIGNING OF PEACE
DEAL
MANILA, OCTOBER 15, 2012 (MINDANAO EXAMINER) The Philippines
cancelled a scheduled press briefing Saturday evening of Organization of Islamic
Cooperation Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in Manila.
The Department of Foreign Affairs- Public Information Services Unit earlier
told journalists that the: "The press briefing of OIC Secretary General
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu scheduled at 6:45 p.m. today will be at Manila A Function
Room of Makati Shangri-la Hotel."
But hours later, it said: "The OIC Secretary General cancelled his press
briefing scheduled at 6:45 p.m. today, October 14."
Filipino officials did not say why the press briefing was cancelled ahead of
Manila's signing of the peace pact on Monday with the country's largest Muslim
rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Manila and the MILF also agreed to the creation of the new Bangsamoro
autonomous region which shall replace the existing five-province Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The OIC has officially recognized the larger Moro National Liberation Front
which is opposed to the new peace agreement by the Aquino government to the
MILF, saying it violated the September 1996 peace agreement between the MNLF and
the Philippine government.
Manila invited Ihsanoglu along with Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd
Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak to witness the signing of the historic peace deal.
Malaysia, an influential member of the OIC which is brokering the peace
talks, played a key role in the negotiations between the Philippines and the
MILF which is fighting for self-determination in the southern region of
Mindanao.
This is the first visit of Najib to the Philippines since he assumed office
in 2009. He will be accompanied by his spouse, Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor,
and the Malaysian ministers of foreign affairs, defense and international trade
and industry.
Formal diplomatic relations have been nurtured through the years ever since a
Philippine legation was established in Kuala Lumpur in 1959. But the
Philippines' claim to the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah remains an irritant
between the two countries. The Sultanate of Sulu originally obtained Sabah from
Brunei as a gift for helping put down a rebellion on Borneo Island.
The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim state that ruled over much of the islands
off the Sulu Sea. It stretches from a part of the island of Mindanao in the
east, to North Borneo, now known as Sabah, in the west and south, and to
Palawan, in the north. The Sultanate of Sulu was founded in 1457 and is believed
to exist as a sovereign nation for at least 442 years. (Mindanao Examiner)
(Mindanao Examiner) Posted by The
Mindanao Examiner at Sunday, October 14, 2012
MNLF now says it won't go to war over new Bangsamoro region
in Mindanao
[Photos released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner by the
Sulu provincial government show MNLF chairman Nur Misuari speaks to Sulu
Governor Sakur Tan during a one-on-one meeting in Zamboanga City over the
weekend. Misuari assures Tan that they will not resort to war despite the MNLF
opposition to the new Bangsamoro autonomous region which shall replace the
existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.]
Zamboanga City (Mindanao Exminer /
Oct. 14, 2012) – A former Libyan firebrand Nur Misuari, whose group has opposed
Manila's peace deal with the rival Moro Islamic Liberation Front, doused fears
that it could spark a new war in the southern Philippines.
[PHOTO -Leader of the Moro National Liberation (MNLF) Nur
Misuari]
Misuari - who heads a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front that
signed a peace agreement with the government in September 1996 – made the
assurance during a meeting with Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan in Zamboanga City over the
weekend.
Misuari is opposing the new autonomous political entity called Bangsamoro
that Manila and the MILF have agreed.
It would replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is
composed of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao provinces, including
the cities of Marawi and Lamitan. And several more areas in the provinces of
Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato would also be included in the new autonomous
region, which Misuari said violated the 1996 peace accord.
Misuari was quoted by the Philippine media as saying that the new Bangsamoro
autonomous region could spark unrest and may lead to war in Mindanao.
"I was misunderstood. What I said was the framework (of the peace deal) might
be a recipe for a crisis which may include war," Misuari told Tan.
[PHOTO -Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan prays with other Muslims in
Patikul town.]
Tan earlier said he would meet and talk with Misuari to convince him that the
Aquino government is sincere in achieving peace in Mindanao.
"If I want hostilities to resume, why would I announce it? A person who
understands war knows that the element of surprise is very important; I would
have kept silent if that was what my intention. In fact, I am running for ARMM
governor this coming May 2013 polls. I am a politician now, we only want what is
good for our people," Misuari said.
Tan said MNLF commanders have been going around some parts of Sulu and that
he explained to them the government's peace process. "MNLF commanders are making
their rounds in some parts of Sulu and I was able to talk to them and sinabi ko
na pagbigyan nila tayo tungo sa kapayapaan. I also sent word to my brother
Chairman Nur Misuari and one of these days mag-uusap kami.Ipinarating ko sa
kanya na maging mahinahon, sa ganitong paraan we can resolve any
misunderstanding and have genuine peace in Sulu and the whole of Mindanao."
"I have made my appeal to everybody to keep their cool. Walang mangyayari sa
atin kung tayo ay babalik na naman sa nakaraan, kawawa ang mg tao dito sa Sulu
at sa buong Mindanao," Tan said.
Civil society and religious groups in ARMM also echoed Tan's appeal for peace
in Mindanao and said they are supporting the government's peace process. Tan
said he welcomed the group's support and appealed to Muslims in Mindanao to
rally behind peace process.
"We cannot sacrifice again the people of Mindanao; they have already suffered
so much. I told the (MNLF) commanders that the government is sincere in pursuing
peace in the region; and that their role as leaders of the MNLF is very
important in the achievement of this goal, as leaders they should set the
example," Tan said.
"Walang repormang mangyayari kung ang kapayapaan ay hindi natin pagbibigyan.
I will not support and allow anything that is not pro-people at handa akong
makiusap at pigilan ang kahit sinong grupo na magsisimula ng gulo dito sa Sulu
at Mindanao."
Tan said all the ARMM governors are supportive of the government's peace
talks with the MILF, not the country's largest Muslim rebel group.
"Jolo and other populated areas of Sulu are always the first to feel the
brunt of war from the MNLF. We must recall that Sulu was the center of the MNLF
uprising in 1969 and Jolo was totally burned down in 1974 during the fiercest
battle between the MNLF and the military under the Marcos Administration. We
have done so much to bring progress and stability back to Sulu and I can't allow
that to happen again,'' Tan said.
Tan assured Misuari that the Aquino government is taking efforts to explain
and consult with the people in Mindanao about the new peace framework.
"An information campaign on the Framework Agreement will be mobilized so that
our citizenry will understand what this agreement is all about and decide
competently for themselves if they want this to be part of the future of the
Bangsamoro People," Tan told Misuari.
Despite Tan's assurance, Misuari still doubts the outcome of the peace deal
between the government and MILF noting that he signed peace agreements with
Manila, but many of these accords were never implemented.
"In fact, claims that the MNLF was consulted on this matter were untrue. I
will not tell a lie to say we were never consulted," Misuari told Tan, referring
to the new Bangsamoro region of the MILF, which broke away with the MNLF in
1978. "I feel insulted about the government entering into an agreement with such
a small group," Misuari said during the meeting with Tan.
Tan said the President is sincere in achieving peace in Mindanao. "What is
important to me is the constitutionality of the agreement and its potential to
attract investments in the region to spur economic growth by resolving the
question of providing a climate of good governance in the scheme of things," Tan
told Misuari.
Tan reiterated his appeal to Misuari to let the peace process take its course
and see where it will go, adding that "we must support all peace efforts as the
only way to finally bring stability and progress in Mindanao."
"I got Misuari's assurance to keep peace in Mindanao, more so in Sulu," he
said.
Last week, Misuari and Mujahab Hashim, the MNLF's Islamic Command Council
chairman, raised strong objections to the government's signing of the new peace
accord with the MILF and threatened to return to war.
"Because there is no other recourse now for the (MNLF), at least the majority
of the senior leaders of the MNLF, we have no other recourse but to go back to
the original objective of arms struggle," Hashim warned. (Mindanao Examiner) Posted by The Mindanao Examiner at Sunday,
October 14, 2012
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All
rights reserved
PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
PH Headline News Online. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved