OIC seeks unity talks between MILF, MNLF

KUWAIT CITY – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is working to bring the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) together to cooperate in establishing the Bangsamoro Coordination Council.
OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu proposed the holding of a tripartite meeting between the Philippine government, the MNLF and the OIC to “find practical and implementable solutions for the remaining unresolved issues.”
Ihsanoglu visited Manila early this week upon the invitation of the Philippine government and MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim to witness the signing of the framework agreement between the government and the MILF.
After the ceremony on Monday, Ihsanoglu had an hour-long private meeting with President Aquino.
“The Secretary General assured the President of continuous support of the OIC to all peace efforts, and emphasized the unity of the Bangsamoro people which is needed now more than ever.
“The OIC at present is assisting the process of bringing MILF and MNLF together to intensify their cooperation and coordination. The establishment of a Bangsamoro Coordination Council is under discussion for that purpose,” the OIC said.
The proposed tripartite meeting is also expected to tackle difficulties in the full implementation of the MNLF’s 1996 Final Peace Agreement and any discrepancies that may exist between the agreements signed with the MNLF and the new framework agreement with the MILF.
“The issue will be discussed thoroughly by the next OIC Conference of Foreign Ministers scheduled to be held in Djibouti next month,” the OIC said.
During his private meeting with the President,
Ihsanoglu congratulated Aquino for this important first step in terminating the long-standing conflict and expressed hope that it will usher in a new era of tranquility and peaceful development for the region.
Ihsanoglu emphasized the need to link the expected agreement that will come as a result of the framework agreement to the 1976 Peace Agreement with the MNLF.
The 1976 Tripoli Agreement constitutes a historic compromise and has gained the support of all Bangsamoro people and the 57 member-states of the OIC.
Ihsanoglu expressed hope that the new framework agreement will pave the way for a just and lasting peace for the Bangsamoro people, and commended the important and essential role played by Malaysia as a facilitator of the peace process.
After Ihsanoglu assumed his post in 2005 as OIC secretary general, the OIC initiated what is called the “Tripartite Process” to overcome all difficulties facing the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement of 1996.
More recently, the OIC has been observing the bilateral negotiations between the MILF and the Philippine government that led to the framework agreement.
Ihsanoglu expressed hope that this framework agreement will be a first step towards finding a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Muslim Mindanao.
He asserted the position of the OIC that the 1976 Agreement would continue to form the basis for any settlement of the conflict, provided that it is acceptable by all factions of the Bangsamoro people.
Close watch
Lawmakers, meanwhile, said they would keep a close watch the implementation of the framework agreement with the MILF.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said congressional leaders have been updated and briefed on the agreement and the House of Representatives is willing to accede to certain requests of Malacañang to ensure the success of the peace effort in Mindanao.
He said at a certain point in the implementation of the agreement and the crafting of the basic law of the new autonomous Muslim region, the Executive branch would submit to Congress a plan that needs the nod of lawmakers.
“The idea was an executive order, an implementing executive order or a fill-in-the-blanks executive order would be passed and that would be subject to a ‘yes or no’ by either chamber without in any way preventing further legislation from being presented to the two Houses,” Belmonte said.
“The issue of its constitutionality is something that had been talked about and the consensus is that it is constitutional. We don’t need to amend the Constitution in order to effectuate it. But you may need some laws…and Congress can act on that,” he said.
Dev’t forum for Mindanao
The government, meanwhile, is preparing a Philippine Development Forum (PDF) for Mindanao that would serve as a pledging session for lending agencies and donors to aid in the development of the region.
Finance Undersecretary Rosalia de Leon said the PDF is slated in January.
She also said the Forum would focus on gathering support for former conflict areas in the region, whose development has been crippled by decades of war.
“We are still in the preparation stage,” said de Leon, who attended the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings in Tokyo last week.
PDFs lay the groundwork for the government’s partnership with multilateral agencies and lending institutions for various development projects.
During these events, multilateral agencies and lending institutions pledge a combination of loans, grants and technical assistance.
The Aquino administration held its first PDF in February last year, which was focused on curbing corruption and reducing poverty.
PDF partners include the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Following Monday’s signing of the framework agreement in Malacañang, some of the multilateral institutions welcomed the landmark deal and pledged their continued support to the government for development in the region.
JICA officials attended the signing of the agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF.
JICA said it has been contributing to the development of Mindanao through the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BiRD) and participation in the International Contact Group (ICG) that is providing advice by attending the peace talks as an observer.
The World Bank also welcomed the agreement, saying this marks an important step toward achieving peace, security and development that will benefit all Filipinos.
“The World Bank stands ready to work with the government, MILF and other sectors of Philippine society to intensify our efforts to improve the lives of many Filipinos, particularly the poor in Mindanao, and help build the momentum for lasting peace and inclusive growth,” it also said. – Iris Gonzales, Paolo Romero