COTABATO CITY, Philippines - One of the groups of the Moro National Liberation Front urged the government to address the grievances of Nur Misuari, MNLF founding chairman, particularly about the tripartite review of 1996 peace pact to resolve the crisis in Zamboanga City.
Abdul Sahrin, secretary-general of the largest and most politically active MNLF faction led by former Cotabato City Vice-Mayor Muslimin Sema, said Misuari has been urging the government to focus attention on the “three issues,†which Misuari believes are essential to the resolution of the misunderstandings on the implementation of the peace agreement.
“These are the transition mechanism for the implementation of the peace agreement, the conduct of another plebiscite for expanded autonomy, and how to divide earnings from strategic minerals obtainable in the Bangsamoro areas,†Sahrin, who resides in Zamboanga City, said in a mobile phone interview.
Sahrin said the government had repeatedly told Misuari, during past discussions in the tripartite review of the peace agreement, that all the three issues have long been addressed by Malacañang.
“He (Misuari) found the government’s position on those three issues unacceptable,†said Sahrin, speaking on behalf of the MNLF's "Sema group," which has more than 20 revolutionary states scattered in Mindanao, in the island provinces of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and in Palawan.
Disowned
Sahrin and Sema on Monday both disowned the actions by a handful of Misuari’s men involved in the bloody siege of several villages in Zamboanga City.
The tripartite review of the GPH-MNLF peace agreement, which started in late 2007, involves the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a bloc of more than 50 Muslim countries, including the petroleum-exporting states in the Middle East and North Africa.
The OIC helped broker the peace agreement, first through a group of representatives from its “Committee of the Eight,†then composed of government officials from Libya, Indonesia, Senegal, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
The committee later became the Southern Philippines Peace Committee (SPPC), whose membership also expanded with the inclusion of representatives from the Turkish and Eygptian governments.
The government has asserted that the transition committee for the implementation of the GPH-MNLF peace agreement was the defunct Southern Philippines Development Council (SPCPD), established by both sides and helped oversee the conduct of the August 2001 plebiscite for expanded autonomy in 13 Southern Mindanao provinces and 14 cities.
Dismal referendum result
Only residents of the island province of Basilan and Marawi City, which is within Lanao del Sur, voted in favor of the inclusion of their communities into the expanded ARMM, whose original charter, Republic Act 6734, also got amended as R.A. 9054, as a result of the political exercise.
“While we don’t condone what is happening in Zamboanga City now, we want a peaceful solution to the abnormal situation now gripping parts of the city,†Sahrin said.
Sahrin said the hostilities between followers of Misuari and government forces are not good for the peace process.
“We are against what is happening now. This would not have happened if they did not come to Zamboanga City bringing guns. What do you expect to happen if you come to Zamboanga City after declaring Mindanao independence? Trouble will really happen,†Sahrin said.
Sahrin said they have been receiving information from Moro communities in Zamboanga City that Misuari’s most trusted lieutenant, foreign-trained cleric Habier Malik, had arrived from Jolo, Sulu and is now in command of the rebels that laid siege in several areas in the city.
“At this point in time, we are certain Misuari will not listen to the government. The OIC must come in and intervene. Maybe he will still listen to the OIC,†Sahrin said. - John Unson