MILF apprehensive of proposed MNLF's role in framework deal

MANILA, Philippines - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has reservations on a resolution of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) seeking to form a mechanism that would involve the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in overseeing the Bangsamoro framework agreement.

An MILF statement quoted a source from the MILF Central Committee as saying that the group has “strong reservation” on Resolution 10, which was issued after the 39th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers I Djibouti.

The statement was posted on the MILF website luwaran.com, which contains the official statements of the group on different issues.

Resolution 10 calls upon the OIC Secretary-General to hold a session to contain any impact that may result from the Bangsamoro framework agreement between the MILF and the government and link it with the 1996 peace deal with the MNLF.

The same resolution calls on the OIC Secretary-General to “develop a mechanism between MNLF, MILF and GPH (Government of the Philippines) to oversee the implementation of these two agreements.”

The luwaran.com statement said the MILF Central Committee source had described the mechanism as “unnecessary” since “it will only complicate the gains of the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement.”

The statement said the source had requested anonymity “for lack of formal authority to speak on the matter.”

“He (MILF Central Committee source) explained that while the MILF welcomes the inputs coming from the MNLF but this should be done through the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum, which the OIC also sponsors,” the MILF statement read.

The MILF noted that it has fully agreed to the creation of the forum but the MNLF has not approved of it yet.

The MNLF is a group that sought to establish an Islamic state in the south. It has signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996 that led to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The MILF broke away from the MNLF due to policy differences but agreed to talk peace with the government.

Last month, the government and the MILF signed a framework agreement that aims to create a Bangsamoro region that would replace the ARMM, which President Aquino called “a failed experiment.”

The new region will cover Isabela City in Basilan, Cotabato City, six towns in Lanao del Norte, and some areas in North Cotabato, in addition to the ARMM provinces Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. The details of the agreement are being threshed out.

MNLF founder Nur Misuari, however, said the framework agreement could lead to a war and it violates various agreements like the Tripoli Agreement of 1976, the Jeddah Accord and the 1996 final peace agreement.

He claimed that he has tens of thousands of followers, including some 17,000 MILF fighters who bolted the group to join the MNLF.