MALAYSIA: Philippines government and Muslim group optimistic over resolving conflict

Record ID: 349662

  • Title: MALAYSIA: Philippines government and Muslim group optimistic over resolving conflict
  • Date: 26th January 2013
  • Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (JANUARY 26, 2013) (REUTERS) KUALA LUMPUR CITY EXTERIOR OF PHILIPPINES EMBASSY PEACE PANEL MEMBERS REPRESENTING PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT PHILIPPINES NATIONAL EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINES PEACE PANEL CHAIR, MIRIAM CORONEL-FERRER SAYING: "There may be fears, but at large based on surveys, I can confidently say that people are very optimisti
  • Embargoed: 10th February 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malaysia
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KQXJ0N92I2A8V1GQ56O7MG7P
  • Story Text: A Philippines government peace panel said on Saturday (January 26) negotiations with a Muslim rebel group were progressing smoothly and an agreement was expected to be finalised by the first quarter of this year.
    "There may be fears, but at large based on surveys, I can confidently say that people are very optimistic with regards to this peace negotiation and that the people see it's moving forward since framework agreement has been signed. So what we see is the completion of the Annexes definitely in the first quarter of this year and moving towards signing a comprehensive agreement," peace panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer told reporters in Malaysia after a five-day meeting with Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
    In October, the Philippines government and MILF agreed on a preliminary deal that may end a 40-year conflict that has killed more than 120,000 and displaced 2 million.
    Manila and MILF want to set up an area to be known as "Bangsamoro", in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country before Aquino steps down in 2016, giving the Muslim-dominated area greater political powers and more control over resources.
    Coronel-Ferrer said four technical working groups of the peace panel were currently drafting details of the agreement on "wealth-sharing", "power-sharing", "normalization" and "transitional arrangements and modalities" issues.
    Under the agreement, the autonomous government is expected to have greater political powers and more control over resources, including minerals, oil and natural gas than the existing Muslim-governed entity.
    Among everything, an arrangement on defence and security as well as disarming the MILF rebels is the core issue.
    Coronel-Ferrer said the details of the context were still under discussion. She reiterated there would only be one army in the country.
    "With regards to the issue of powers over defence and security it's very clear in the power sharing Annexes that this power reserved to the central government therefore there shall be only one army and that's the arm forces of the Philippines. And that's the whole track. When you normalize a situation you precisely accept the fact that there's only one army and the rest are the citizens of the country entitle to political participation and the benefits of social economic development," said Coronel-Ferrer.
    The peace panel will also invite international non-government organizations to review, assess, evaluate and monitor the implementation of the framework agreement on Bangsamoro and its Annexes, she added.
    Both sides are expected to meet again in Kuala Lumpur next month.
    Malaysia has been the facilitator of the peace talk for the past decade.
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