U.S. EYES BROKER ROLE WITH MILF
Manila, May 7, 2003 -- The United States has manifested its interest in
brokering the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), diplomatic sources yesterday said.
This was reportedly conveyed to Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople in a
meeting at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) last week with US
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, Matthew Daley.
President Arroyo, however, yesterday called off talks in Malaysia to
resolve a Moslem separatist rebellion in Mindanao, giving the military free
rein to punish "terrorism" committed by the rebels who attacked the Siocon
town in Zamboanga del Norte.
The sources, meantime, said Washington has expressed interest in getting
involved in the peace negotiations as early as two months ago.
It was relayed verbally to presidential adviser on the Peace Process
Eduardo Ermita by US Ambassador to Manila Francis Ricciardone, the sources
added.
They said it was not clear why the US government has suddenly taken
interest in the GRP-MILF peace negotiations.
The DFA, however, reiterated its position to Daley that it will still look
into the proposal considering that Malaysia has already committed to act as
facilitator of the peace talks between the government and the MILF.
"We should consider the sensitivities of Malaysia as they might pull out of
the peace talks and we have been dealing with Malaysia for a long time,"
one source said.
Ricciardone neither confirmed nor denied that the US government wanted to
get involved in the peace negotiations.
"I'm not going to confirm that right now, this is what the US Congress has
put out. We're in very close contact with Asst. Daley who did come here for
consultation with your government on what we might be able to do together
specially including terrorism. I'll leave it for that now," he told
reporters in an interview in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.
In a press conference late last month, Ople already hinted the US was keen
in mediating the peace talks.
Ople said the US "would seek an opportunity to talk to the MILF if there is
a window open to them and precisely to offer certain incentives to the MILF
to choose the path of peace and cooperation with the government."
The President aborted the May 9-11 Kuala Lumpur meeting which was to pave
the way for talks with the MILF after the rebels launched an attack on
Siocon leaving scores dead and wounded and abducting more than 80 persons.
"We shall not stand for terrorism in the guise of a fight for freedom. We
shall pursue peace only under the rule of law and constitutional order,"
she said in a statement.
Government negotiators would "inform the Malaysian government of our wish
to postpone the exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur until we can establish
more auspicious circumstances to move the peace process forward."
"We shall deploy all the lawful instruments of the state to end this
conflict and bring peace to the homes of our people," she added.
The government is also "looking into the possibility on whether the MILF
should be announced as a terrorist group" after it declared a P50 million
reward for the arrest of MILF leaders and others who launched the attack on
Siocon.
The Malaysian government expressed regret over the Philippine government's
decision to suspend the exploratory talks with the MILF.
"We are saddened by it," Malaysian Ambassador to Manila Mohammad Taufik said.
Taufik said Kuala Lumpur is still willing to facilitate the talks in the
future.
"Yes, we are ready anytime. We are hoping that talks will proceed," the
envoy said.
Malaysia acts as the facilitator of the talks between the Philippine
government and the MILF.
Riciardonne, meantime, yesterday said it is "high time" for the MILF to
decide whether it will choose the path of peace to continue committing acts
of terrorism as the separatist group faces possible inclusion in
Washington's list of foreign terrorist organizations.
Even without a request form a foreign country, the US government can
unilaterally put the MILF in the list of terrorist organizations following
the recent attacks against civilians in Zamboanga del Norte.
"That certainly is the issue under consideration for several years. It is
up to the MILF to decide really what they are going to be, who they are and
make that very clear," Ricciardone said.
Already in the US list of terrorist organizations are the al-Qaeda, Jemaah
Islamiya, National Democratic Front and the Abu Sayyaf.
He added that US Congress is prepared to support a "serious" peace process
between the government and MILF by providing more development assistance in
Mindanao.
"Those places where there is peace can be developed and the US be glad to
support that. But of they do not choose peace, if they want to go on
kidnapping people and blowing up buildings that is terrorism," he said.
He stressed the US is committed in training Philippine troops to become
more effective in dealing with terrorism but it will not engage in combat
operations.
"What we can do is to help them become stronger in dealing with these
terrible people so the MILF just have to decide which side they are. Are
they on the side of peace and development, struggle for their people's
rights in a peaceful and political way or are gonna keep murdering
people,?" he asked.
Ricciardone noted that "it is safe to say that if they (MILF) continue with
acts of terrorism everybody in the world will consider them terrorist.(Tribune)