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By Al Jacinto, Correspondent
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Government peace
negotiators and Muslim rebels again failed to arrive at an agreement
that would help end the more than three-decade fighting in Mindanao.
The latest talks were brokered by
Malaysia and held in Kuala Lumpur on September 25 and 26. Malaysia
is an influential member of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
Jesus Dureza, presidential
adviser on the peace process, said that even if the latest talks
failed, the government remains committed to pursuing peace with the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The most contentious issue in
the present talks is ancestral domain, or the territory the rebels
are demanding to constitute a Muslim homeland.
“We are hopeful to overcome
those stumbling blocks, and we remain committed on agreeing on a
final truce with the MILF,” Dureza said.
On the rebel group’s part, MILF
chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the nonresolution of the
ancestral domain issue will have a very telling impact on the talks.
“Still the same issue and we
have not reached any agreement on ancestral domain, particularly on
the territorial aspect of the ancestral domain … This is a
high-risk negotiation, it can make of break the peace process,”
Iqbal told The Manila Times on Tuesday.
The ancestral domain discussions
covers the whole of Muslim autonomous region and other areas in
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, North
Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces where there are
large communities of Muslims and indigenous tribes. Also included
are Palawan Island and the Sulu Archipelago.
Manila previously offered the
MILF the whole of the Muslim autonomous region as ancestral domain,
which is composed only of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan,
Sulu and Tawi-Tawi which are among the poorest in the country torn
by strife and wars since its creation in 1989. But the rebel group
flatly rejected the offer.
President Gloria Arroyo opened
peace talks in 2001 with the MILF, which is fighting for
independence in Mindanao, whose 16 million population includes about
four million Filipino Muslims.
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