Failed MNLF Peace Pact Haunts Talks with MILF

The peace agreement might be up for review in a meeting organized by the Organization of Islamic Conference in July.

By Germelina Lacorte
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY — The failure of the government’s peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in 1996 was evident in the recent clashes in Sulu and continues to haunt the government, which is scheduled to resume soon peace negotiations with another separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser for the peace process, said the recent clashes in Sulu led by Ustadz Habier Malik, leader of a group of renegade MNLF members, would be one of the matters expected to be discussed in a crucial meeting in July and could provide the impetus for a possible review of the peace agreement, which has so far failed to meet its objective, which was to end the Moro separatist movement in the south

“It presents additional challenge,” Dureza said of the recent conflict, but added that the scheduled tripartite meeting with the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the MNLF and the government in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in July this year will be a good “opportunity for us to make a good review” of the 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF.

“Let’s not totally focus on the political level of the MNLF where we are facing challenges,” said Dureza, who called Malik’s force as “just a small group out there in Sulu.”

“There’s lots of progress on the ground. Let’s not forget that the bigger part of the MNLF is with us in development work,” Dureza said. “We have the peace development communities and the peace development advocates working on the ground, we have the donor community.”