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RP to grant MILF bigger ARMM

By Sherwin C. Olaes

11/17/2007

Neither the Philippine Government (GRP) nor the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) negotiators have disclosed just what are the new borders through the agreed “demarcation” of the Bangsa Moro homeland’s boundaries, even as they hailed the breakthrough in the peace talks, but Malaysian officials were quoted as saying the territory of the MILF would be greater than the current autonomous region in the troubled island of Mindanao.

Even Sec-retary Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, in a TV interview yesterday over ANC cable network, hinted broadly that the MILF, which would be a recognized juridical entity, would have a bigger portion as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) would be expanded for this purpose. There was no mention about the role of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which has been given the governance of the ARMM.

Dureza was also vague about the expansion of the ARMM, saying only that the territories to be included are those that are mostly populated by the Muslims, giving the example of some cities and provinces in Mindanao which had earlier rejected being part of the ARMM during a plebiscite some years back.

This would mean Cotabato and several other areas in Mindanano did not want to be part of the ARMM.

Problems are expected over this

development, as outside of the ARMM, these other Mindanao areas are heavily populated by Christians who are not expected to be under the rule of the MILF.

GRP peace panel chief Rodolfo Garcia also did not disclose the new borders agreed but emphasized that it involves maritime borderline and that there should be a form of wealth-sharing.

The Arroyo government yesterday expressed hope and confidence that the successful exploratory talks between the government and MILF peace talks will pave way for a more peaceful Mindanao.

Dureza said the talks have had a “breakthrough” for the resump-tion of the formal peace talks which is expected to start in early 2008.

“We welcome this most recent development in the ongoing peace process between the government and the MILF. This latest breakthrough sets the timeline for the outcome of the peace negotiations,” Dureza said.

“The favorable points reached by both panels in the remaining but contentious issues of the talks puts forward the government’s determined effort to seek a just conclusion to the peace process. This encouraging progress of the talks and the other recent development strategically lay the ground for strengthening the foundations of lasting peace and development in Mindanao,” he added.

Based on reports, the GRP-MILF agreed on the aspect of homeland’s boundaries in the exploratory talks the other day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“After more than three decades of problems in Mindanao, it is for the government to give concessions. It could not be the other side, so the government has to concede what it thinks is reasonable,” added Garcia.

The issue of ancestral domain issue had been one of the stumbling blocks in the peace talks that opened in 2001.

“Hopefully we will be able, after the signing of the comprehensive compact, to find closure to the centuries-old problem in Mindanao which various regimes in Manila have not solved,” said MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

The Malaysian government which often hosts the GRP-MILF said that another round of exploratory peace talks would be held in December before formal discussions early next year.

In the MILF website, it stated that the Peace panels had “successfully concluded their 14th GRP-MILF Exploratory Talks from November 14-15, 2007 in Malaysia with the two parties hurdling the remaining outstanding issues on the territory strand of Ancestral Domain Aspect of the Tripoli Agreement of 2001, particularly on the demarcation of the internal and territorial waters of the future Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). “Earlier, the Parties managed to overcome and settle the issue of land base domain of the BJE during their special meeting in Kuala Lumpur last Oct. 23 to 24, 2007.

“After wrapping up their two-day talks and the Joint Statement signed late today, GRP chief peace negotiator Secretary Rodolfo Garcia and MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, together with the Malaysian chief facilitator Datuk Othman bin Abdurazak, held a press conference at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. National and international television, radio and press organizations or agencies attended the press conference.

“In the current peace negotiations between the government and the MILF, the former had already agreed to consider Moro or Bangsamoro as a nationality designation for these tribes, including the indigenous tribes.

However, the Indigenous People are to be given the “free choice” whether they want the affiliation or to be known as Moro or not.

In an issue known as “ancestral domain,” the land in question consists of untitled communal farms that came under formal state ownership when the Philippines became a Spanish colony in the late 16th century.

“We are confident that the momentum of signing the ancestral domain agreement will be able to carry us forward in the other tests and challenges ahead,” Garcia said.

He said the agreement would be wrapped up with other elements into a “final peace agreement which we expect to be able to reach by the middle of 2008, by August of 2008.”

“The successful outcome of discussions clears the way for the drafting of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain which shall be tabled at the formal talks scheduled for early 2008,” said Malaysian facilitator Othman Abdul Razak.

“The full peace deal is to cover three areas: security, rehabilitation and ancestral domain. In previous talks, the two parties had agreed on the security and rehabilitation issues.

With AFP and Tribune wires