Muslims score military for Eid-al-Fitr attack
09/21/2009 | 11:29 PM
Moro rebels on the brink of resuming peace talks with the government on Monday scored the military for its attack in Indanan, Sulu last Sunday.
In a statement on its Web site, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said local Muslims in the province had questioned the launching of air and artillery bombardment during the celebration of Eid-al-Fitr.
"They said the incident was a reminiscent of the government attack against the MILF while then Chairman Salamat Hashim was delivering the sermon for the Eidul Adha prayer in Islamic Center in Buliok, Pagalunga, Maguindanao on February 11, 2003," the MILF said.
Hostilities erupted Sunday morning in a village in Indanan town in Sulu when authorities trying to serve arrest warrants for Abu Sayyaf leaders Albader Parad, Doctor Abu and Totoni Hapilon were rebuffed by the bandits.
Maj. Ramon David Hontiveros, spokesman for the military's Western Mindanao Command, said the operation to serve the arrest warrants stemmed from an intelligence report that the three wanted Abu Sayyaf leaders had been sighted in the area.
The three are believed to have masterminded a string of kidnappings in the province, including that of three International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) volunteers last January.
He called on government to seriously look into the sincerity of their commitment to bring about lasting peace in Mindanao and in respecting the religious practices of Muslims.
“Niyurakan muli ng mga Marines sa Indanan Sulu ang mga Muslim habang sila ay sumasampalataya sa pagdiriwang ng Eid al Fitr, ang banal na araw," he said in an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Web site.
(The Marines did not even respect our observance of a holy day.)
Despite this, the government is confident that the clash in Sulu last Sunday will not affect the upcoming resumption of the peace negotiations with the MILF.
"The fighting did not involve the MILF because in the first place there are no MILF elements on the island of Sulu," said Avelino Razon, the presidential adviser on the peace process.
Razon defended the government forces, saying they only acted "on self-defense" after some 200 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf bandits fired them.
"The violent resistance by the Abu Sayyaf triggered the fighting," he said.
Last week, government and MILF negotiators agreed to form an International Contact Group (ICG) that would monitor the peace process - a development welcomed by those hoping for the resumption of the stalled negotiations.
Razon said the government is just waiting word from Malaysia, which is acting as third country facilitator, for the formal peace talks to resume. - GMANews.TV
In a statement on its Web site, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said local Muslims in the province had questioned the launching of air and artillery bombardment during the celebration of Eid-al-Fitr.
"They said the incident was a reminiscent of the government attack against the MILF while then Chairman Salamat Hashim was delivering the sermon for the Eidul Adha prayer in Islamic Center in Buliok, Pagalunga, Maguindanao on February 11, 2003," the MILF said.
Hostilities erupted Sunday morning in a village in Indanan town in Sulu when authorities trying to serve arrest warrants for Abu Sayyaf leaders Albader Parad, Doctor Abu and Totoni Hapilon were rebuffed by the bandits.
Maj. Ramon David Hontiveros, spokesman for the military's Western Mindanao Command, said the operation to serve the arrest warrants stemmed from an intelligence report that the three wanted Abu Sayyaf leaders had been sighted in the area.
The three are believed to have masterminded a string of kidnappings in the province, including that of three International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) volunteers last January.
He called on government to seriously look into the sincerity of their commitment to bring about lasting peace in Mindanao and in respecting the religious practices of Muslims.
“Niyurakan muli ng mga Marines sa Indanan Sulu ang mga Muslim habang sila ay sumasampalataya sa pagdiriwang ng Eid al Fitr, ang banal na araw," he said in an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Web site.
(The Marines did not even respect our observance of a holy day.)
Despite this, the government is confident that the clash in Sulu last Sunday will not affect the upcoming resumption of the peace negotiations with the MILF.
"The fighting did not involve the MILF because in the first place there are no MILF elements on the island of Sulu," said Avelino Razon, the presidential adviser on the peace process.
Razon defended the government forces, saying they only acted "on self-defense" after some 200 heavily armed Abu Sayyaf bandits fired them.
"The violent resistance by the Abu Sayyaf triggered the fighting," he said.
Last week, government and MILF negotiators agreed to form an International Contact Group (ICG) that would monitor the peace process - a development welcomed by those hoping for the resumption of the stalled negotiations.
Razon said the government is just waiting word from Malaysia, which is acting as third country facilitator, for the formal peace talks to resume. - GMANews.TV
