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Military warns conflict in volatile south may rekindle
The Philippines' military chief warned on Thursday that the situation in its troubled south may re-ignite when the Supreme Court rules on a deal giving Muslims more territory and power in the south.
- Reuters
- Published: 23:58 August 15, 2008
Midsayap: The Philippines' military chief warned on Thursday that the situation in its troubled south may re-ignite when the Supreme Court rules on a deal giving Muslims more territory and power in the south.
A recent spate of fierce fighting between the government troops and Muslim separatists had stopped on Wednesday and refugees started returning home, but military chief General Alexander Yano told reporters the situation remained "volatile and fluid".
Yano said extremists in either the majority Catholic community or within the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf) could react violently if a Supreme Court decision on a territorial deal between Manila and the Milf does not go the way they want.
"Whatever is the court's judgment, some of them would not be satisfied. It is not far-fetched that such dissatisfaction would further impinge on the fluid security situation in Mindanao."
Air force planes had bombed Muslim rebel positions for four straight days this week after Manila vowed to flush out members of the Milf it accused of occupying Catholic farmlands in North Cotabato. The offensive triggered an exodus of around 160,000 people.
The military had halted operations in the province of North Cotabato on Wednesday but there was a brief exchange of mortar fire again on Friday in Midsayap town, around 900 kilometres south of Manila in the province.
Legal experts have said the Supreme Court would likely rule the territorial deal, which gave Muslims in the south broad political and economic powers over parts of the resource-rich region, unconstitutional, angering Milf commanders.
When details of the deal leaked earlier this month, some Catholic farmers armed themselves and Catholic politicians organised protests against it.
Manila launched its offensive against the Milf in North Cotabato against a backdrop of criticism from Catholic communities.
Analysts have said both sides were flexing their military muscle after the Supreme Court's temporary halting of the deal marked yet another setback in long-running talks to end a separatist conflict that has killed over 120,000 people and made the country's most resource-rich region dirt poor.
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