MILF says it's committed to peace

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday said it remains committed to the ongoing peace process and the existing ceasefire with the government. "The MILF reiterates its commitment to pursue the peace talks between the GPH and MILF under the auspices of the Government of Malaysia being the Third Party Facilitator with the ultimate objective of mustering a negotiated political solution to the age-old conflict in Mindanao and the legitimate aspiration and struggle of the Bangsamoro people for meaningful self-governance and rights to self-determination," MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar said in a statement posted on the group’s website. Jaafar said the reaffirmation of commitment was pronounced during the MILF Central Committee meeting last October 22 in Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, being mindful of the primacy of the ongoing peace process and recent spate of unfortunate and unwarranted incidents of armed conforontations between the forces of both the MILF and the Philippine government in Basilan. A total of 19 soldiers, including four junior officers, were killed in the Oct. 18 clash in Basilan. “We are our convince[d] that the ongoing peace talks between the government and MILF since 1997 is the most civilize and democratic and best solution to resolve this politically-rooted problem. Along this line, the MILF cite[s] and continue[s] to ask for the increasing and growing support of the civil society organizations and the international community to this peace process," Jaafar said Reject ‘all-out war’ like President Aquino Jaafar said the MILF was convinced President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has “the sincerity and political will… to forge a comprehensive, just, enduring and honorable negotiated political solution to the problem in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro issue with the MILF representing the Bangsamoro people." “The Central Committee of the MILF under the leadership of Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim commended His Excellency President Aquino for standing firm for the continuity and successful conclusion of the GPH – MILF Peace Process," he said. Jaafar also cited the firm stand of President Aquino to reject calls for an all-out war against the MILF and the Bangsamoro people. "We share this stance of the President emphasizing the common belief that war has no significant space in resolving the conflict in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro issue," the MILF leader said. He added that it was “high time that the local and national government leaders and officials…to embolden their support [for] and cooperation [with] the initiatives and efforts of President Aquino in forging a political solution through the negotiating table with the MILF." Jaafar also “called on the Bangsamoro people from the cross-sectors of society to strengthen and sustain their support and [strive to overcome] the challenges and difficulties prevalent and unfolding in the peace process with the Government of the Philippines." ‘Did not want’ bloody confrontations "We all believe that the bloody and fatal armed confrontations between the government and MILF forces in AlBarka, Basilan that rendered casualties on both sides and severely affected innocent civilians were unwarranted, unfortunate and should not have happened in the first place. Both the MILF and the government did not want these incidents to happen," Jaafar said. He conveyed the condolences of the MILF to the bereaved families of the officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). “We feel as much grief with the families of the fallen soldiers of both the government and MILF forces. Allow established ceasefire mechanisms to function He underscored that the ceasefire agreement emphasized that the mandate and authority given by the government and MILF to the established ceasefire mechanisms “on the ground" must respected. He pointed out that the established ceasefire mechanisms such as the GPH – MILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities, the Adhoc Joint Action Group, the Local Monitoring Teams, and the International Monitoring Team must all be allowed to function in order to resolve the cases within their mandates peacefully. He called on the ceasefire committees and monitoring teams to assert their mandate in order to uphold the primacy of the peace process, negotiations, and the ceasefire between the GPH and MILF. “Let it be assured that all the forces and members of the MILF both from its military and political arms remain strongly committed and compliant with the mandates and dispositions of the ceasefire mechanisms," Jaafar said. — MRT/RSJ, GMA News