Manila: Peace talks between the Philippine government and a formerly separatist Muslim group in the southern Philippines could resume before end of Ramadan, a government chief negotiator said on TV.
Lawyer Marvic Leonen, appointed to resume talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said negotiations before the end of Ramadan will be held in Malaysia.
Ramadan might end on September 11, and the government’s proposed resumption of negotiations could fall on September 10, experts said.
In response, Mohaqher Iqbal, former MILF chief negotiator, told Gulf News in a phone interview, “We are willing to resume peace talks anytime. The earlier it is done, the better.”
However, Iqbal said that talks to be held just before the end of Ramadan might not be a good idea.
“If Ramadan ends on September 11, the next three days, September 12, 13, and 14, are big days for us. We celebrate on those days,” said Iqbal in reference to Eid Al Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan.
At the same time, the government peace panel is not yet complete, complained Iqbal, adding that the government peace panel still needs two more members.
The MILF peace panel, although deactivated from last year’s group, could be easily reactivated, said Iqbal. He refused to give more details when asked if he would lead the MILF peace panel again.
Earlier, Leonen said that the Philippine government is willing to amend the 1987 Constitution to accommodate the contentious issues of Moro homeland in the south, the expansion of which was not completed by former President Gloria Arroyo.
In August 2008, the Supreme Court said that it is unconstitutional for the negotiators of the Philippine government and the MILF to sign a proposed land deal that would lead to the expansion of the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
This prompted three renegade MILF commanders to attack civilian communities in the south, killing 400 people and displacing 750,000 residents.
Informal talks were resumed in early 2010, but the Philippine government and the MILF ended signing an interim agreement that would help the next administration to resume talks.
During Arroyo’s time, both the Philippine government and the MILF agreed to tap an international group composed of Japan, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and non-government groups, as observers of the peace talks.
Comprising the International Contact Grou (ICG), members would ensure that agreement forged by the two parties will be implemented. This would ensure that the August 2008 incident would not happen again.
Negotiations between the Philippine government and the MILF began in 1997.
Since 1978, the MILF has been waging a rebellion for the establishment of an independent Islamic state on the southern island of Mindanao. More than 150,000 people have died in the clashes.
