Gov’t faces blank wall on KL role in peace talks

By Michaela P. del Callar

05/08/2008

MANILA -- The Government of the Philippines based in Manila has failed to get an assurance from Malaysia that it will continue to broker the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Malaysia’s role in the peace talks became uncertain as its Foreign Minister Rais Yatim, who met with Philippine officials led by President Arroyo, yesterday in Manila, was non-committal on the request of the Philippine government to continue facilitating the peace negotiations.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza told a press conference that there was no categorical

response from Rais when he raised this issue during a bilateral meeting in Malacañang.

“We thank Malaysia for its full support to the peace process and the government feels that on the matter of its participation in the peace negotiations, we would wish it would continue with its facilitation in our negotiations,” he said.

In response, Dureza said Rais only noted the “strong relations between Malaysia and the Philippines” and that the official response of his government “will be relayed to (Foreign Affairs) Secretary (Alberto) Romulo.”

Dureza, however, stressed that Rais’ response cannot be interpreted as abandonment of its role as facilitator of the talks.

“The President expressed her thanks to the Malaysian government for all the efforts and assistance it’s giving us in our peace process in southern Philippines,” Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told reporters.

Rais did not speak to the press after the two meetings.

His visit follows an announcement by Kuala Lumpur last month that it would not send more monitors of a 2003 ceasefire between Manila and separatist rebels to the Mindanao region once their current mandate expires in September.

Other members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) are Brunei, Libya, Canada and Japan.

Malaysia said it will scale down its monitors by withdrawing 29 of 41 of them starting May 10.

The remaining 12, Dureza said, might be withdrawn by the end of August, the expiration of Malaysia’s term in the IMT.

He added the government will not ask Malaysia to reconsider its decision nor extend its mandate in the IMT.

“A decision has been made by Malaysia. We want to respect the decision that they’ve made and having accepted that decision that they have made, we ask them to please continue to help us with the peace process,” Dureza said.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, for his part, believes that Malaysia’s withdrawal from the IMT would not derail the Mindanao peace process.

“The peace process should not end there. They have two roles here one, as a facilitator and second as head of the IMT. You’re confused that without Malaysia it’s the end of the peace process. It doesn’t end there and we have not announced the end of facilitation role,” he said.

Manila and MILF struck a deal last November to create a Muslim homeland in the country’s south. That agreement was expected to lead to a peace accord, but further talks have not been successful.

A key stumbling block has been the extent of territory to be handed over to MILF.

A final peace accord with the rebels is expected to end more than two decades of Muslim rebellion in Mindanao, which has resulted to thousands of deaths on the MILF and government troops and displacement of families in the impoverished Southern Philippine region.

The MILF, the largest Islamic separatist movement in the country, has been waging an armed struggle against the government for the past 25 years. It is believed to have about 12,000 armed members. Pat C. Santos and AFP