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Government and Muslim rebel panels hurdled a major stumbling block.
They have agreed to conclude negotiations over an agreement granting
the Bangsamoro their ancestral homeland.
In sub-exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur last
week, negotiators agreed to defer discussion of freedoms to be
granted the rebels and to jumpstart stalled peace negotiations that
threw southern Mindanao island into forebodings of renewed
hostilities.
At the end of daylong discussions, the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) agreed to a government proposal to
drop the word “freedom” in an agreement defining a Muslim
homeland to be given the MILF to govern.
In return, government agreed to provide a
timeframe for the implementation of the ancestral domain agreement
in a comprehensive peace agreement to be negotiated afterwards.
The government and MILF negotiating panels will
meet anew tomorrow (Thursday July 24) for exploratory talks, the
first since the MILF walked out from a meeting in November 2007.
Malaysia, which has been facilitating the peace
talks between the Philippine government and the MILF, will host the
exploratory talks.
Government chief negotiator Rodolfo Garcia says
“ancestral domain issues were resolved/wrapped up in executive
session.” The exploratory talks will decide when and where the
ancestral domain agreement will be signed.
They just have to ascertain the “schedule of
VIPs” that will witness the signing of the agreement. The VIPs are
expected to include President Gloria Arroyo who, with the recent
increase in the cost of goods and fuel and the other controversies
that continue to hound her government, is in need of good news.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the
signing of the ancestral domain agreement could be soon—in August.
Describing the July 24 meeting, Iqbal said it is
meant to “consolidate all consensus points, initial it [document]
and the schedule for formal talks and sign it.”
The agreement on the Muslim homeland could be
signed in Manila or in Kuala Lumpur. The success of Wednesday’s
talks signals the revival of peace talks that had been on a
spiraling dip since government appeared to have backtracked on
commitments during last November’s exploratory talks.
Since last year, peace and security in areas
where the MILF has a significant presence have been pockmarked with
armed conflict.
In June alone, at least five armed conflicts
erupted in what appeared to be a systematic violation of the 2004
ceasefire agreement forged between Manila and the MILF.
Iqbal assures that the attacks launched by their
men were not sanctioned by the central leadership, but says it
highlights the necessity of getting the negotiations back on track.
Certainly, there are those who do not believe
that the attacks were not sanctioned by the MILF leadership. And
even while there are those who want to accept the MILF’s
assurance, they find it difficult to understand why the MILF top
brass refuse to punish commanders who have broken rank.
There are MILF commanders, to begin with, who
didn’t think the negotiations would succeed. Delays in the
negotiations only give their doubts more credence.
Dissatisfaction doesn’t seem to me a
legitimate ground to initiate violence. But that’s only me.
At least now that the ancestral domain issue
appears to have been resolved and the peace negotiations back on
track, incidents of armed conflict could diminish.
A ceasefire monitor acknowledged that the spike
in tension in the area was a direct result of the chill in the peace
talks.
He says the success of the last talks in Kuala
Lumpur would help enforce the ceasefire.
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Pinoy kidneys for Lion City?
A report from Singapore says that their Health
Ministry is thinking of legalizing the trade in kidneys. They would
review legislation to allow living, non-related donors to receive
compensation.
Singapore Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan was
quoted by AP as saying that “we should not reject an idea just
because it is radical or controversial.”
He points out that “there are desperate
patients out there wishing to live and desperately poor people
willing to exchange a kidney for a hopefully improved life . . .
Criminalizing organ trading does not eliminate it . . . it merely
breeds a black market.”
It could mean that Singapore will allow
donations from foreigners even to non-Singapore nationals.
Uh-oh. Does that mean Pinoys wanting to
“donate” their kidneys will have to fly to Singapore first?
johnnavg@hotmail.com
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