Philippines: The fate of peace in Mindanao hangs in the balance (tags)
Akbayan statement on the video of killing of injured SAF trooper
Philippine peace process gaining headway (tags)
Upon assuming office a year ago, President Benigno S. Aquino III declared that the government was ready to resume peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Communist National Democratic Front (NDF) without pre-condition and repeated it in his first State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).
MILF SETS CONDITIONS FOR PEACE TALKS (tags)
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has set its conditions for the resumption of the GRP-MILF Peace talks in the coming new year-2009. The AJLPP sources learned that based on the an earlier decision by the MILF Central Committee and Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, issued the statement on December 26, 2008. Murad said the MILF is “open to resume the ‘collapsed’ or stalled” peace negotiations with the Philippine government.
MILF OFFICIAL STAND ON PEACE TALKS WITH GRP (tags)
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has announced its official stand on the resumption of the GRP-MILF Peace. The AJLPP sources learned that based on the an earlier decision promulgated by the its Central Committee, Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, issued the statement on December 26, 2008. Murad said the MILF is “open to resume the ‘collapsed’ or stalled” peace negotiations with the Philippine government. This in deference to the call of both the local and international communities to resume the talks and stop the fighting and to the standing policy of the MILF that the track of peace and negotiation is the “most practical and civilized way of solving the age-old Moro Problem and armed conflict in Mindanao.”
BUSH SENDS NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO THE PHILIPPINES (tags)
With the subservience of the Arroyo regime, Bush continues the political-military intervention in the "killing field" of the Philippines, wasting millions of tax-dollars in suppressing the Moro insurgents and Filipino national-democrats, abetting the horrendous extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances and widespread poverty and oppression, all in the name of the war against "terrorism," a code-word for popular resistance against global capital's greed and inhumane devastation of the planet.
MILF attacks meant to push peace talks’ revival — AFP (tags)
A senior military official said the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is stepping up attacks in Mindanao in a bid to pressure the government into restarting its stalled peace talks with the rebel group. Meanwhile, the MILF blames the AFP for the attacks. According to Regional Army chief Maj. Gen. Reymundo Ferrer, elements within the MILF want to put pressure on the government to resume the talks by launching the attacks.
Tensions in Mindanao seen to rise as peacekeepers pull out (tags)
Malaysian peacekeepers began a phased withdrawal from the Philippines' troubled south on Saturday, raising worries that decades of Muslim rebellion in the mainly Catholic nation may resume. Twenty-eight of 41 Malaysian soldiers and police officers were picked up by two army transport planes at three points on the southern island of Mindanao and flown to a base in the Malaysian province of Sabah. The remnants of the 60-member International Monitoring Team (IMT), including 10 soldiers from Brunei, eight from Libya and a Japanese development worker, were expected to pack their bags and go home by the end of August.
Gov’t faces blank wall on KL role in peace talks (tags)
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.
RP ‘surprised’ at Malaysia monitors’ pullout (tags)
he Philippines on Tuesday said it was surprised at Malaysia’s decision to end its monitoring mission to the troubled southern Mindanao island this year. The government’s chief peace adviser Jesus Dureza said he had just finished a trip to Kuala Lumpur and officials there had given “no indication of any announcement of total withdrawal.” “I feel that we, as neighbors, should be working very closely for peace,” Dureza said. “I am confident that Malaysia will be with us all the way.”
Moro group hits GMA’s ‘timeline’ to end rebellion in Mindanao (tags)
A ranking official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Central Committee has criticized President Arroyo for her recent speech at the local Peace and Security Assembly in Mindanao where she reiterated her 2010 “timeline to end armed rebellion” in the region without specifically stating the current government-MILF peace process as the main component.
MILF to respond to Arroyo’s statement (tags)
Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will soon issue an official policy statement on the peace process, in response to the March 12 statement of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This was learned from the office of the MILF chairman by Luwaran today. However, no hints have been given as to how the press statement would be worded or what specific issues would be given emphasis.
Sweden, Canada To Work for Peace talks with MILF (tags)
Sweden has joined a bloc of nations backing peace talks aimed at settling a bloody Muslim rebellion in the southern Philippines, while Canada has expressed interest in following suit, officials said Thursday.
Clashes continue between AFP militias and MILF; 6 killed in Mindanao (tags)
Reports from the militart Camp Siongco reported that three progovernment militias and three Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels were killed in continuing military operations in remote villages of Midsayap, North Cotabato. Meanwhile, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu denied the military’s account, citing it was the soldiers who harassed their forces stationed near Barangay Rangaban on January 25. “The military shelled our position and followed up by continuing ground operation until Saturday afternoon,” he said.
Canada, Sweden offer to help monitor RP-MILF ceasefire (tags)
US northern neighbor, Canada has offered to help monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
10 MILF guerrillas slain in clash with Army (tags)
News reports said government security forces and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas clashed in a remote village of a Maguindanao town Friday, leaving 10 rebels dead and a soldier wounded, a military spokesman said on Sunday.
Rehimeng US-Arroyo, nanguupat at naghahanda ng Gyera sa Mindanao. (tags)
Patuloy na ipinakikita ng reaksyunaryong gubyerno, laluna ng rehimeng Arroyo, na hindi ito interesadong kamtin ang tunay na kapayapaan para sa mamamayang Moro. Ang tanging interes ng rehimen ay sumuko at magbaba ng armas ang MILF. Sa ngayon todo ang propaganda ng gobyerno kapwa laban sa NPA at sa MILF na ang diumano may sabwatan ang MILF sa Abu Sayaff at sa Jemmayah Islamiya. Anuman ang kahihinatnan ng paghahanda sa gyera ng gobyerno, gumagawa lamang ito ng gulo at sa huli magbabagsak ng mabigat na bato sa sariling paa nito kapag itinodo nito ang gyera laban sa mamamayan ng Mindanao.
Atrocities creep into Maguindanao fighting (tags)
Pesante-USA/AJLPP prints new reports of atrocities that have begun to surface in Maguindanao as fighting between militia and rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) continued to escalate. A lone gunman killed the wife of a senior MILF leader implicated in a failed attempt to kill the provincial governor, the military said Thursday.