MNLF officials belie GMA

claims on peace agreement

By Isagani P. Palma, Correspondent

GENERAL SANTOS CITY: Top Muslim leaders and Moro National Liberation Front officials in Central Mindanao on Wednesday belied President Arroyo’s claims that government has met “80 percent” of its peace deal with the MNLF, as contained in the 1976 Tripoli agreement.

Ustadz Pendie Colano, the Selatan Kutawato State Revolutionary Command chairman, and Utto Salem Cutan Al Haj, former chairman of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development, said Mrs. Arroyo’s claims were still a “pledge waiting to happen.”

In a telephone interview, Mayor Muslimen Sema of Cotabato City said, “Mindanao did not attain genuine autonomy as what was stated in the GRP-MNLF peace accord.

“The government failed to implement the creation of an autonomous region for 13 provinces and nine cities in Mindanao. Many of what were stated in the agreement never materialized,” Sema said.

“In my own opinion, President Arroyo has only met about 20 percent of what she promised for entire Mindanao,” said Colano, who oversees the MNLF forces in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City.

“The government should give us a specific report of what it did for Mindanao before claiming the 80-percent accomplishment,” Colano added.

Colano claimed that the government has failed to integrate the MNLF forces with the military, which forms part of the peace pact.

As part of the agreement, Colano said MNLF forces would join the Army’s southern command, provided an MNLF official is appointed deputy commander for the southern Mindanao region.

Cutain pointed out that government failed to create a Muslim regional security force in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, which was a provision of the peace agreement.

“How can President Arroyo declare that the government had enforced 80 percent of the peace agreement when some of the major provisions in the peace pact have not been implemented?” Cutan asked.