MILF apologizes for keeping Salamat death under wraps

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has apologized for the two-week delay of announcing the demise of its founder and chairman Hashim Salamat.

In a radio broadcast late Wednesday in a local dialect in Maguindanao, the MILF explained that the death of Salamat was not immediately relayed because of some "unresolved issues."

A prominent Muslim leader who requested anonymity claimed the radio broadcast, however, failed to mention the reasons for the delay.

He said that under Islamic tradition, the death of Salamat must be immediately relayed to close family members for proper burial arrangements to be made within 24 hours after his death.

MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar announced the death of Salamat over state-run Radyo ng Bayan last Tuesday.

Jaafar later told another radio station that Salamat died from heart failure on July 13 in the town of Butig in Lanao del Sur and was buried the same day, in accordance with Muslim traditions.

Jaafar had explained the delay in announcing the death was to enable the MILF central committee to inform Salamat’s relatives and choose a successor.

After a weeklong meeting, the top leadership chose Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, vice chairman for military affairs as the new MILF chairman.

Even MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu explained the delay in announcing Salamat’s death was in accordance with procedures. This is to make sure the MILF leadership will not be in a vacuum so as not to demoralize their fighters in the field, he said.

It was gathered, however, that even the close relatives of Salamat were not informed of his death, which was kept under wraps by the MILF central committee.

An Islamic missionary working at the MILF controlled areas got hold of the information and later relayed it to Undersecretary Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan, Office of Muslim Affairs director-general.

"I did not believe the news, but initially my source was certain that the MILF chairman died two weeks ago," Ampatuan said.

MILF officials said the death of Salamat will not change the group’s revolutionary policies, including its intention of pursuing a peaceful, political settlement of their rebellion.

In a statement, the MILF yesterday said a general assembly, held July 30 and 31, had overwhelmingly reaffirmed for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the armed conflict.

Muhamad Ameen, head of the secretariat, said the MILF Central Committee also gave a fresh mandate to the rebel peace panel for the Kuala Lumpur talks as reaffirmed by the body.

The statement said that other rebel leaders are also being considered to be named as MILF chairman. But for now, the MILF said, Murad will be sitting as the chairman.

As this developed, the government panel and the MILF, in a meeting in Cotabato last Monday, have agreed to field their respective teams to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement to pave the way for the holding of peace talks in Malaysia next week.

Malaysia has offered to broker the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF with the United States playing the supporting role.

The peace negotiations were made possible after President Arroyo signed a ceasefire agreement with the MILF last month. – With Lino de la Cruz