Muslim rebel group in the Philippines wants talks

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/MMAH-7ED4U7?OpenDocument



Muslim rebel group in the Philippines says open to British mediation

Philippines, May 05, 2008

The Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), praised Britain for its offer to send in experts to help in peace negotiations in restive southern Mindanao, the Manila Times reported. The MILF is negotiating peace with Manila but talks have been stalled since last year. According to the Manila Times, British ambassador Peter Beckingham said that three or four of the experts who were involved in peace talks in Northern Ireland are arriving soon in the Philippines to help restart the stalled talks. "This is good news. It is a positive development and we hope the British experts will arrive very soon so we can meet with them and discuss the peace process in Mindanao. We welcome the British support to the peace process and we appreciate it very much," MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu was quoted by the Manila Times as saying. Malaysia announced April 21 that it would not renew the mandate of its 50-some unarmed peacekeepers who have been monitoring a ceasefire between Manila and the MILF since 2004 because negotiations between the parties had stalled and one party - most likely referring to the government - was not making sufficient efforts to continue them. The announcement sparked fears that the ceasefire could beak down and the MILF rebels, who make up one of several militant groups calling for an independent homeland for the Philippines' Muslim minority and indigenous populations in the south, could resort to violence again. About 20 of the Malaysian troops are due to return home May 10, but the last troops will not leave until September. Manila was also concerned that Malaysia would no longer host talks between the two parties, as it has done since 2001, but Malaysian defense forces chief Gen. Abdul Aziz said that Kuala Lumpur will continue its commitment to peace in the south. The talks have been stalled since December, when MILF negotiators accused the government of reneging on some of the agreed-upon terms for a proposed homeland. MILF is fighting for an autonomous homeland for about 4 million Muslims and indigenous groups in parts of Mindanao, Palawan, the Sulu Archipelago and other areas, according to the Manila Times. The Philippines is also fighting against at least two other Muslim rebel groups and a communist insurgency in the south and about 120,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million displaced by conflict in the region in the last four decades.
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