British official urges MILF to show sincerity, political will

A senior defense and security official of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has urged leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to show sincerity and political will by allowing the Mindanao peace process to move forward.   FCO Director General for Defense and Intelligence Robert Hannigan said President Benigno Aquino III “has invested great energy and has (given) opportunity for the peace process to move forward and it’s about time for the other stakeholders to seize the momentum."   “It’s a marathon not a sprint," Hannigan said in a press briefing at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday.   “Everybody involved should invest political will," he added.   Hannigan met with key officials involved in the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF, and will visit conflict stricken areas in Mindanao on Wednesday to consult with affected communities and local leaders.   He advised the Aquino administration to also focus its efforts “in removing the causes of conflict" such as poverty and exclusion of minority that drives people to join rebel groups.   “It’s important to remove the causes of conflict," said Hannigan. “People need to feel they have a voice. It’s central to any peace process but it’s not easy."   Hannigan enumerated three important elements for any peace process to succeed: momentum with intense engagement, political will, and creativity.   “The British government is very keen to offer guidance and experience to the Philippines in the spirit of warm relations between our two countries," he said.   But the British official stressed that he would be meeting with key stakeholders in the peace panel and not MILF leader Al Haj Murad. “I’m not here to make demands but just to share our experience in the Northern Ireland." — MRT/VS, GMA News