MILF wants landmine row included in peace talks

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is looking to include concerns on unexploded land mines in Mindanao in its peace talks with government. MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (MILF-CCCH) Chairman Said Sheikh said the mines may affect humanitarian work in conflict-hit areas. “Some donor agencies asked us to work, as required, on the reported presence of landmines in communities where pipeline development programs, such as transitional shelter and school building construction, will be implemented," Sheikh said in an article posted on the MILF website. He said the donor agencies emphasized the presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) should be addressed accordingly as a matter of "humanitarian, security and social obligation in the implementation of the development programs." But he noted the MILF-CCCH has no authority to stand on to act on the request. On the other hand, he said the government and MILF negotiating panels already forged implementing guidelines for a joint clearance action program. Undertaking the program will be the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) and the Swiss Foundation for Demining (FSD). This will be done in close coordination with the government and MILF-CCCH and the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team (IMT). "We cannot work or coordinate on mechanism in addressing the issue of landmines and UXOs that is not by the PCBL and FSD. This is the reason why this issue should be referred to the peace panels," he said. “We are strongly calling on the PCBL and FSD to start their work as soon as possible for we do not want the implementation of the humanitarian and development programs for our people to be hampered .... Our people direly need the assistance from the various donor agencies," he added. The MILF said landmines and UXOs may have been left in many conflict-affected areas where MILF and government forces engaged in fierce encounters from August 2008 to mid-2009. It said the areas that might have landmines are Maguindanao, Lanao, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Basilan. "Dozens of mortar rounds from the artillery assets and bombs from air strikes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines indiscriminately unleashed did not explode. Civilians from these bombarded areas reported the presence of these UXOs and landmines," it said. — LBG, GMANEWs.TV