Japan: Resume Mindanao peace talks
By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 17:49:00 11/29/2008
Filed Under: Mindanao peace process, Foreign affairs & international relations, Diplomacy
MANILA, Philippines -- Japan has urged the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to resume peace talks to address the worsening security situation in Mindanao.
A statement released by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said the Japanese government highly appreciated the role of the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team in promoting the peace process, particularly in monitoring the implementation of a long-standing ceasefire agreement between the government and the secessionist movement.
The statement said Japan is hoping for a further extension of the IMT’s term.
“For that purpose, Japan calls on the government of the Philippines and the MILF to make efforts to break the deadlock with a flexible attitude and to resume the peace negotiations,” the statement said.
The IMT’s mandate will expire on November 30.
In the meantime, the peace talks remain suspended in the wake of attacks by MILF rebels in some parts of Mindanao following the junking by the government of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, which has since been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Prior to the expiration of the IMT’s mandate, Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim announced his country Malaysia would suspend its participation in the team.
“The government of Japan has been concerned about the worsening situation in Mindanao since the cancellation of the signing of the formal agreement on the issue of the ‘ancestral domain’ which was scheduled on August 5,” the Japanese statement said.
“Japan strongly requests both the government of the Philippines and the MILF to exercise self-restraint so that the situation in Mindanao will not worsen. Japan also expects that if the situation gets better and the IMT continues its role, the Malaysian monitors will continue to play a leading role in the team,” it said.
Earlier, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) expressed deep concern over the deterioration of the situation in Mindanao due to continued military operations that have affected the civilian populace.
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, OIC secretary-general, said in a statement posted on the organization’s website that the military operations had displaced more than half a million civilians who now live in dire conditions in various evacuation camps.
Ihsanoglu warned that this situation “empowers undisciplined elements who seek to abort the peace process and fuel extremist feelings.”
He urged the government to return to the negotiating table in order to work out creative solutions with the MILF to meet the requirements of the Supreme Court, “while continuing to work in the same positive spirit that led to the accomplishments made so far through negotiations and build upon these achievements in a bid to reach the just and durable peace desired by all.”
He also called upon the MILF leadership to work with the government to save the peace process.
He expressed confidence that the leaderships of the negotiating parties “have a sense of wisdom and responsibility to work together in order to find a proper way out of this crisis which threatens to thwart the peace process.”
|
