ZAMBOANGA SIEGE

Analysis: Philippines Zamboanga siege a legacy of failed peace talks By Edwin Espejo Sep 11, 2013 6:18PM UTC
There is no arguing that the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro gave war-weary residents of southern Mindanao hopes for a final resolution to the centuries-old conflict in the southern Philippines island. The Mindanao conflict is deeply rooted in the islands recorded history that is replete with heroic resistance as well as unprovoked violence from either side of the conflict. From the epic war waged by early Mindanaoans, who refused to be conquered and subjugated by a succession of invaders and colonizers, to the present wars of national liberation by organized armed resistance of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its predecessor the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), this island has known violence for a long time. There have been two major peace agreements and one botched peace deal which sought to address the internecine war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives combatants and civilians and displaced more than a million people. Two of these peace agreements were forged between the Philippine government and the MNLF. Unfortunately, both the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Jakarta Final Peace Accord have only spiralled to more vicious wars. The 1976 Tripoli Agreement, brokered by Libya, had all the makings of a failure even before it could be implemented as it was merely used as a ruse and a pacifier by former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos who wanted to legitimize his martial rule. By the time it was halfheartedly implemented the scope and area of coverage was already mutilated and the whole peace agreement mangled beyond recognition. Only a couple of years later several key leaders of the MNLF, led by the late Salamat Hashim, broke away and formed the MILF. Salamat and his group not only rejected the Tripoli Agreement, they also repudiated Nur Misuari who they claimed fell into a trap laid out by the Marcos dictatorship. Misuari himself and the MNLF would resume their armed struggle. When Marcos was ousted 1986 his successor President Corazon Aquino broke protocols and met with Misuari in an attempt to end the almost genocidal war in Mindanao. It would not be until 1996 during the term of President Fidel Ramos that Misuari again accepted a peace deal with the Philippine government through the Jakarta Peace Accord.

Misuari however again walked into another trap, as he increasingly became frustrated and eventually ending up being swallowed by the system he once waged war against. Once a unifying figure among the Moro people, he became a polarizing force and eventually lost his ascendancy among Muslim militants. Thus, the rise of MILF as the amalgamating force for a peaceful resolution to the Mindanao conflict despite bearing arms against the government. The road to peace however is not as easy as announcing breakthroughs, communiqus and draft agreements. President Benigno Aquino III followed his mothers footsteps and met with MILF chair Ibrahim Al Haj Murad in Tokyo to fast track the peace process. But as proved by the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain drafted under the Arroyo government, resistance and reactions to any peace agreements could come not only from within the ranks of warring forces. It can come, as it has come, from forces left behind by the peace process. Worse, the people will even turn their backs against and repudiate whatever peace deals are reached between the MILF and the Philippine government. The not-so-distant Sabah invasion by the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate is a mere fallout of the peace process. With the Zamboanga siege on Monday, the war in Mindanao has again come full circle. A war that is interrupted by peace agreements only to be dismissed and rejected by spurned protagonists. Or call them antagonists. Many may see a crackpot developing in Misuari. It would be easy to dismiss him and whatever remains his once formidable force. One thing the history of the Mindanao conflict has taught us is that for every failed peace agreement, there will rise a more militant and ideological group that will carry on the war of liberation for a Moro homeland. This group may not come from Misauris MNLF faction. It could just be around waiting for the opportunity to do its acts. These are the fallouts every peace negotiator from both sides will have to address to achieve the long-cherished and lasting peace for Mindanao.

Filipino rebels call for international mediation By AP News Sep 11, 2013 12:49PM UTC
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) Muslim rebels holding scores of hostages in the southern Philippines are demanding international mediation, an official said Wednesday, as fresh rounds of fire broke out between government troops and the guerrillas on the third day of the standoff. The rebels, enraged by a broken peace deal with the government, are holding the civilian hostages as human shields near the port city of Zamboanga. Troops have surrounded the Moro National Liberation Front guerrillas and their hostages in four coastal villages. At least nine people have been killed since the standoff began Monday.

On Tuesday, the rebels fired two mortar rounds near the main port, prompting authorities to order vessels to dock elsewhere. The government rushed more troops and police to the city, and there were sporadic exchanges of fire. Some houses went up in flames in rebel-held villages, forcing more residents to flee. Zamboanga was virtually shut down, with most air flights and ferry services suspended. Communities near the clashes resembled a war zone, with armored troop carriers lining streets, troops massing at a school and snipers taking positions atop buildings. A mosque and its minaret were pockmarked with bullet holes. Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco said the rebels were demanding international mediation. She said a former governor from the rebels stronghold of Sulu province tried to talk to the gunmen Tuesday, but they refuse to listen to anybody locally. They say that its an international problem, and no less than the international community, the U.N., should come in, she told television network ABS-CBN. Shots rang out as she spoke from the city hall. There were no immediate reports of anyone hurt in Wednesdays sporadic trading of fire. The MNLF rebel group signed a peace accord brokered by a committee of the Organization of the Islamic Conference with the government in 1996, but hundreds of its fighters held on to their arms and have recently accused officials of reneging on a promise to develop an autonomous region for minority Muslims in the southern Mindanao region. They also felt left out after a breakaway faction engaged in successful peace talks with the government brokered by Malaysia. Last month, the MNLF issued new threats to secede by establishing its own republic. However, its leader, Nur Misuari, has not appeared in public or issued any statement since about 200 of his followers barged into Zamboanga citys coast early Monday and clashed with soldiers and police. The fighting left at least nine combatants and civilians dead and several wounded. The rebels took scores of residents hostage, holding them in houses and a mosque that have been ringed by troops. President Benigno Aquino III said the top priority was the safety of the hostages and residents of the city. He sent top Cabinet officials and his military chief of staff to oversee the security crisis in the countrys south, the scene of decades-long Muslim unrest and the homeland of minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said a crisis committee led by Climaco, the city mayor, was ready to negotiate with the guerrillas for the release of the hostages. He said some officials had opened talks with the rebels at different levels, including a commander loyal to Misuari, but added there had been no breakthrough. The crisis comes as a rival rebel group, the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front, has made substantial progress toward a new autonomy deal for Muslims in peace talks with the government. The latest round of those talks resumed Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias main city. Military spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said that the MNLF rebels had planned to march into Zamboanga, a city of nearly 1 million people, and hoist their flag at city hall, but that government forces discovered the plan. Presidential adviser Teresita Deles, who oversees the talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, condemned the actions by Misuaris group, challenging claims by some of Misuaris followers that they planned only to stage a peaceful protest.

Filipino troops attack to end rebel standoff By AP News Sep 15, 2013 4:15PM UTC
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) Philippine troops have started to battle their way into coastal villages in the south where Muslim rebels have held scores of residents hostage in a sixday standoff, sparking fierce clashes that have killed 56 people and displaced more than 60,000, officials said Saturday. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said government forces surrounding about 200 fighters from a Moro National Liberation Front rebel faction have started to advance and slowly retake rebelheld areas and clear roads in villages in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga, a major port city. Military spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the offensive was calibrated to protect a stillunspecified number of hostages still held by the rebels. Its not an all-out war, Zagala told The Associated Press by telephone. Troops have not resorted to heavy artillery fire, rockets or launched airstrikes to protect the hostages and civilians, officials said, adding that 47 of the 56 deaths were from the rebel ranks while four civilians were killed, along with two soldiers and three policemen.

Aside from the hostages, the rebels have reportedly detonated bombs to set dozens of houses on fire to slow the troops advance. In rebel-held Santa Catalina village, an AP photographer witnessed how troops advanced behind armored carriers to retake a road stretch only to be stalled by rebel fire, clusters of burning houses and apparent hostages yelling, Dont fire, dont fire. Several hostages have escaped but it remained unclear how many remained in rebel custody. President Benigno Aquino III said more firefights were expected but assured more than 62,000 displaced villagers being sheltered at a sports complex in Zamboanga city that the rebels capability to sow trouble has been degraded and the government was working to end the crisis soon. Although the fighting has been contained in just three coastal villages by Saturday, Roxas said the danger to the trading city of nearly a million people remained serious and its international airport would have to remain closed, along with the main seaport. A military helicopter securing Aquino was fired upon in the city Saturday, Roxas told a news conference without giving other details. The hostage standoff, the most serious security crisis Aquino has faced since rising to power in 2010, unraveled Monday when troops foiled an attempt by the rebels, who arrived by boat from outlying island strongholds, to march and hoist their flag at Zamboangas city hall. They barged into five coastal villages and took more than 100 hostages as human shields. The Moro insurgents, led by rebel leader Nur Misuari, signed a peace deal in 1996, but the guerrillas did not lay down their arms and later accused the government of reneging on a promise to develop long-neglected Muslim regions in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. The government says Misuari kept on stalling and making new demands. The rebels have become increasingly restive in recent months as they were overshadowed by a rival rebel group, which have engaged Aquinos government in peace talks brokered by Malaysia. The talks have steadily progressed toward a new and potentially larger autonomy deal for minority Muslims in the south. Misuari has not been seen in public since the standoff began. Vice President Jejomar Binay said Misuari agreed to a truce late Friday by telephone, and he relayed the news to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, who has been helping deal with the crisis in Zamboanga city. Binay flew to Zamboanga Saturday to help deal with the crisis.

But Gazmin said the rebels have continued to fire in violation of the agreement. Everybody wants peace, to stop this without more bloodshed, Gazmin told DZBB radio network. But as we speak, theres firing so theres no cease-fire. We agreed that government forces will not fire only if the MNLF will not open fire.

Zamboanga siege enters second day by Nonoy E. Lacson September 11, 2013 (updated)
ZAMBOANGA CITY People in Zamboanga City continue to live in fear as government troops and gunmen of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) continue their sporadic armed confrontation at Barangay Sta. Barbara, a few meters away from City Hall, the seat of the local government. Around 600 MNLF gunmen have occupied the adjacent Barangays of Sta. Catalina, Rio Hondo, Mariki, a part of Talon-Talon and Kasanyangan in support of their comrades who have positioned themselves at Barangay Sta. Barbara. MNLF forces at Barangay Sta Barbara have stationed themselves in a mosque, concrete residential houses, elementary schools and high rise buildings, acting as snipers and shooting government troops when sighted. At 3 a.m. Tuesday, some 30 heavily armed MNLF troops, using civilians as human shields from Barangay Mampang, were spotted proceeding to Barangay Sta. Catalina to support their comrades but were blocked by policemen and soldiers from Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ) who were manning checkpoints in the area. On Tuesday morning, an exchange of gunfire between govt and MNLF forces at Barangay Sta Barbara resulted to the wounding of one PO2 Baquina. He was immediately bought to the hospital for treatment. The Zamboanga City Regional Hospital, known to many as the Zamboanga General Hospital, has virtually turned into a soldiers camp as soldiers and policemen are now occupying the hospital to prevent the MNLF from moving closer to City Hall. Commercial airlines have halted flights into the since Monday, stranding thousands of travellers. The local ports in this city have also blocked ships from leaving and docking at the port. City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco had earlier said that classes in all levels, both public and private institutions as well as work in all offices remain suspended in view of the current crisis. Only the offices providing frontline services like social welfare, city administrator, city mayors office, city engineers office and city health office have work.

As of press time, the city chief executive said that casualty count remains at 4 killed and 14 injured. As for the evacuees, records from the City Social Welfare Office indicates that that there are about 174 families with 1,099 individuals housed at Tetuan Parish, 50 families with 200 individuals at Tetuan Central School, 25 families with 115 individuals at ICAS-Tetuan, 231 families with 1,071 individuals at the Don Joaquin F Enriquez Sport Complex. The police also reported that there are 467 evacuees recorded at St Ignacio Church located at Barangay Tetuan, coming from Barangay Sta. Catalina, Barangay Kasanyangan, Barangay Sitio Waray and Ortega Drive, Tetuan. Tetuan Central School has housed 300 families coming from the different Sitios of Barangay Tetuan. Climaco reported that the casualties remained at four killed and 14 wounded. Number of hostages, per Zamboanga City Central Police Office (ZCPO) report is 87 in Kasanyangan, 20 in Sta. Catalina mosque, 20 in Talon-Talon mosque, 10 in Camacop Sta. Barbara. There are also an undetermined number of hostages at SDK building in Barangay Sta Catalina and the Fernandez store in Barangay Lustre. Authorities are undertaking steps to resolve the crisis but would not divulge details of the operations. A former MNLF hard core leader of Sulu province turned legislator appealed to the MNLF fighters who invaded the city to refrain from using civilians as human shields. I appeal to the MNLF fighters who are now in Zamboanga City to refrain from using civilians as human shields, Sulu 1st Dist Rep Habib Tupay Loong said. Rep Loong also delivered a privilege speech at the House of Representatives on Tuesday calling the national government to seriously address the crisis in Zamboanga City. Loong said the crisis in Zamboanga City has driven away people from their homes in fear and panic to escape the horror of conflict and the consequence becoming human shield and hostages. And as a consequence, offices and classes in the City have already been suspended. Airline flights to and from the city have also been cancelled. My heartfelt sympathy to the innocent victims of this attack, Rep Loong said. If the Philippine government is not alarmed by this recent unfolding events in the region, political leaders of Sulu are disturbed and deeply worried that the Zamboanga attack may eventually develop into something worse compared to theFebruary 7, 1974 attack in the town of Jolo by the MNLF forces which resulted in the razing of the town of Jolo and hundreds of casualties on both sides, both military and civilian, the displacement of hundreds of residents to neighboring communities and the loss of hundreds of millions of pesos in economic damage, Loong said in his speech delivered Monday night at the lower house.

Climaco said the imposition of curfew from 8 p.m. on Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday was smoothly implemented with no apprehensions or violations recorded by the police. The curfew only allows people working directly in managing the situation to go around the city. The curfew exemption includes those in the medical profession as well as those working for the evacuation efforts and the distribution of relief goods. Anyone seen out during the curfew will be invited for interrogation. On this light, we advise people to stay in your homes, do not go out of the streets unless it is of utmost importance. The police and military are properly handling the situation, she said. Rep. Ruby Sahali in the lone congressional district of Tawi-Tawi said that as a mother, I ask that we keep our calm and take a moment to pray to Allah for peace and that nonviolence will reign in all of us as we pray to resolve our differences and misunderstandings. We do not condone blood shed and fear of arms to innocent civilians caught in the middle of this undertaking. Ya Allah please spare the innocent civilians from bloodshed, she added. The MNLF has reiterated their demand for the city government to allow them to raise the MNLF flag at city hall, which symbolizes their independence from the Philippine republic. The city government said that it would never allow the MNLF to raise their flag at city hall, considering that there is only one legitimate government in the Philippines the Philippine Republic.

Malacaang condemns MNLF siege in Zamboanga by Genalyn Kabiling September 9, 2013

Malacaang has denounced the siege of suspected Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces in Zamboanga City, saying the alleged use of civilians as human shields is a cause for great concern. Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda assured that the national government is aiding local authorities in resolving the situation to avoid the loss of more lives and restore peace and order in Zamboanga City. We condemn the attack on Zamboanga City in the strongest possible terms. It is incumbent on all people of goodwill to reject the violence that has erupted, Lacierda said. A heavy firefight broke out between government troops and suspected MNLF members early Monday morning, reportedly killing two persons. Around 100 MNLF members took over a number of villages in Zamboanga and took away several people as hostages.

Lacierda said the city government of Zamboanga has already appealed for the national government to help contain the situation. President Aquino is getting updates about the Zamboanga incident as new information comes in, he added. Lacierda also appealed to the public to refrain from spreading speculation about the attack in Zamboanga City. Fear and alarm spread by disinformation will only help those intent on disrupting the lives of residents of Zamboanga City, he added.

UN, OIC intervention sought to end Zamboanga crisis by Alexander D. Lopez September 11, 2013 (updated)
DAVAO CITY The United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) need to intervene to resolve the on-going crisis in Zamboanga City, said Atty. Emmanuel Fontanilla, spokesperson of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Misuari faction. In an interview with Manila Bulletin, Fontanilla claimed his group was the party harassed, adding that if the other side didnt meddle with their affairs the fighting would not have happened. He also maintained that they are still in the defensive position and denied reports that his group is trying to siege the city hall of Zambonga to raise an MNLF flag. We were planning for a peace rally there, unfortunately no permit was given to us, he clarified. He said that under the law, people have the right to gather and express their sentiments and carrying of a flag is not illegal. We have been using that MNLF flag for a long time, he stressed. Fontanilla also denied earlier reports that he publicly declared that Misuari is the president of the Philippines. What I said was that Misuari is the president of Bangsamoro Republik, he added. Meanwhile, Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco has convened the citys peace and order council to assess the situation of the civilians and find solutions to the present crisis. In an interview over government TV station PTV 4, Mayor Climaco confirmed that about five villages have been breached by MNLF forces.

The port of Zamboanga is currently closed with its gate barricaded with container vans. Government facilities and bus terminals are being secured by members of Task Force Zamboanga, authorities said. The Zamboanga Bankers Association has also announced that no banks will open today due to security reasons.

Zamboanga siege 'will not affect peace talks'

Government forces and Muslim rebels have been locked for days in a standoff in the southern Philippines. However, analyst Steven Rood says the national impact of the confrontation is likely to be limited. The recent fighting broke out on September 9 between members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and government forces in the port city of Zamboanga, a major southern trading hub. According to media reports, at least 114 people have been killed and more than 110,000 others displaced. Dozens of civilians were also taken hostage by the Muslim rebels, but were later released as troops gained ground. The siege of the sixth largest city of the Southeast Asian nation began some four weeks after Nur Misuari, the founder of the MNLF declared "independence" for the Muslim regions. In a DW interview, Philippines expert Steven Rood says that despite the severe local impact of the recent attacks, they will not affect the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a splinter group of the MNLF. DW: Why have members of the National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces attacked Zamboanga City? Steven Rood: The immediate cause is unhappiness with a perceived marginalization of the elements of the MNLF associated with Nur Misuari in the ongoing peace process in Mindanao. The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which broke away from the MNLF in the early 1980s, are making progress towards an agreement where a new government entity, the "Bangsamoro," will be instituted by 2016 to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, formerly ruled by Misuari. How dangerous has the situation become for civilians in the town? A large number of civilians were originally taken hostage to be used as human shields by the MNLF forces. Most of them have been released unharmed, or rescued, but a couple of dozen still remain as hostages some 11 days after the start of the incident.

While the government tried to evacuate residents from the combat zone, a number of civilians were caught in the crossfire, others are unable to leave the area. Those who were able to flee are either staying in private homes, or in centers for displaced people. What are the roots of the current conflict? The Muslim separatist forces began an armed rebellion more than 40 years ago, fighting not only marginalization in a largely Christian country, but also the influx of Christian settlers from other parts of the country and intrusion into their political affairs by the Manila government led by Ferdinand Marcos. These rebel forces originally demanded an independent Moro state, but later settled for an autonomous region during negotiations with the central government which concluded with a peace agreement in 1996. The latest fighting in and around Zamboanga City was sparked when the government announced a review of the implementation of the 1996 peace deal. Misuari objected to this, arguing the treaty had been voided by the government. As a result, he declared the independence of the region last month. What impact could the conflict have on the issue of Islamic insurgency in the Southeast Asian country? In the short run, the Zamboanga City incident will not affect the ongoing peace talks between the government and the MILF. Both sides have a desire, and indeed a concrete interest, in bringing forth a comprehensive agreement in the next few weeks. There are many people in the international community encouraging this outcome. In the medium term, the latest fighting emphasizes the need to have a coalition to push towards peace and development in the Muslim-majority island of Mindanao. The Philippines is a largely Catholic country. What underlying tensions exist between Catholics and Muslims in the Philippines? The cultural clash has diminished over the years, and opinion surveys show a diminution of mutual suspicion over the past decades. Muslim holy days are now official holidays, Muslims often fleeing decades of violence - have spread throughout the country, and a generation of college-educated Muslims are beginning to make their presence felt. What economic repercussions could the clashes have on the Philippines? The local impact will be severe. Zamboanga City is the trading hub for that part of the country, and it has been totally shut down. The air and sea ports have not been functioning, so neither goods nor people are moving. Neighborhoods have been devastated.

However, the national impact is likely to be small. The Philippines has been having an economic surge, fueled by an administration focused on fighting corruption and delivering service. Investors are increasingly interested in the country, especially after recently being upgraded by credit ratings agencies. How is this conflict likely to end? As MNLF fighters surrender or are captured, their cases are turned over to the regular justice system. There will certainly be arrests, as some of those involved in the fighting had pre-existing arrest warrants, and there have been a large number of casualties. This time accountability will be exacted by processes of law. Steven Rood is the representative of the Asia Foundation in the Philippines and Pacific Island Nations. The interview was conducted by Gabriel Domnguez.

Aquino issues ultimatum to rebels in Zamboanga siege

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - President Benigno Aquino III has issued a virtual ultimatum to the remnants of some 300 armed followers of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari to surrender or face the government's full military might. The rebels staged a predawn attack on Zamboanga City on Sept.9. On Friday, the 12th day of fighting between MNLF forces and the combined military and police forces, Aquino ordered government troops to prepare for a protracted battle against the hardcore rebel forces who have ensconced in some villages. Aquino told his military commander to execute "a well-thought out" operation against the holdout rebels so as not to harm the civilian hostages. But earlier, Aquino issued an ultimatum to the rebels to surrender. "For the remaining forces of the enemy (let me say that) life is sacred to me. You might want to assess if your life is still valuable, and it's not yet too late to bring an end to this, " he said. Aquino, who has remained in Zamboanga City since Sept. 13, said the government will "fight violence with violence." Aquino said he remained in the "war zone" because as commander in chief of the armed forces and the police, it was his responsibility to see to it that all government agencies would handle the crisis properly, not just the armed uprising but also the fate of tens of thousands of displaced city residents.

At the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the conflict was taking too long because of the urban terrain that security forces had to deal with. Two days ago, limited flights to and from Zamboanga City have resumed and the Zamboanga ports were opened for the first time after the Sept. 9 siege. Several businesses have also reopened. During the siege, Zamboanga City, which is famous for its unique blend of Christian and Muslim culture, has become a ghost city. Meanwhile, the government is preparing the filing of rebellion charges against the MNLF rebels involved in the attack led by a certain Habier Malik, said to be a trusted Misuari commander. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas who, like Aquino, has stayed in the city since the start of the crisis, said that charges would be filed against MNLF members who were either captured or have surrendered. According to military authorities, the 12 days of fighting resulted in 113 deaths, 172 wounded, 111 rebels either captured or have surrendered, while 172 civilian hostages rescued by government forces. Of the 113 fatalities, 10 were soldiers, three policemen, eight civilians and 92 rebels. Of those wounded, 111 of them were soldiers, 13 policemen and 48 civilians. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the number of evacuees has risen to about 110,000, or roughly about 10 percent of the city's population of nearly 1 million. They are now sheltered in several evacuation centers in the city. There is still no official estimate as to the total damage in properties, both public and private, as a result of the siege but it could reach to millions of US dollars. In order to slow down the advance of government troops, the rebels have torched some 500 houses. The government has not yet decided on whether or not to include Misuari in the rebellion charges. Misuari, who has been charged with rebellion and plunder in the past, is reportedly hiding in the province of Jolo, the southernmost tip of the Philippine archipelago. Jolo is the cradle of the Muslim uprising in the Philippines because it was here that Misuari organized the MNLF in the early l970s.

In l996 Misuari signed peace accord with the then government of President Fidel Ramos. He was appointed first government of what is now known as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), an entity that was an offshoot of the 1996 peace pact. When the Aquino government signed a preliminary peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Misuari felt he was being left out and announced the establishment of the so-called Bangsamoro Republik. But Misuari, now 71, may have lost the support and sympathy of the majority of the Muslim Filipinos. In a recent editorial on its website, luwaran.com, the MILF said that Misuari's declaration of independence and ordering the assault of Zamboanga City "is a wild move that can cause him great trouble, perhaps a gradual slipping into oblivion." The MILF, whose present leaders were Misuari's former commanders, said that the moral legitimacy of Misuari's leadership is seriously doubted now, adding that the Zamboanga tragedy was "not an act of brinkmanship, which great leaders often do, but rather in summary a blunder."

Gov't, MILF issue joint statement condemning Zamboanga siege

(philstar.com) | Updated September 10, 2013 - 9:30pm MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels issued today a joint statement saying that the perpetrators in the Zamboanga City siege must be stopped and held accountable for their acts. Both panels, which resumed the peace process in Malaysia, condemned in the strongest terms the violence concurrently being inflicted in Zamboanga City by elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Nur Misuari. "Those behind the continued acts of violence in Mindanao do not want the current peace process between the Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to succeed. Their actions intend to derail the process using violence and disinformation to spread fear and chaos in Mindanao," the joint statement said. But they said that both parties remain committed to pursuing the peace process to its just and rightful conclusion, "in the belief that it is through partnership that institutions reflective of the true needs and aspirations of the Bangsamoro and other peoples of Mindanao shall be installed." The GPH panel said that the Aquino administration will abide by its past commitments with the MNLF.

The MILF, on the other hand, urged the MNLF brothers and sisters to work together so that the Moro struggle will benefit all. Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Both panels also expressed their heartfelt sympathy to and solidarity with the people of Zamboanga City and other areas affected by the violence. The Zamboanga City siege came weeks after Misuari declared an independence of Mindanao. His group signed a peace accord with government in 1996. Misuari is opposed to the on-going peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Aquinos flawed Moro policy unravels

The storming of Zamboanga City by forces of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that started Monday marks the unraveling of President Aquinos injudicious, even reckless roadmap to end the Islamic insurgency in Mindanao. Those were heady days for Aquino in 2011, that he thought he could win the Nobel Peace Prize in the following year by dramatically flying secretly to Tokyo to meet with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front(MILF) chairman Jaafar Gazali for the unveiling of his peace plan for the Islamic insurgency in Mindanao. He promised to turn over to the MILF their own state in Mindanao, and he thought that his popularity was high that he could have the Constitution amended to allow this. He would buy off Congress to pass the necessary law the Bangsamoro Organic Lawby tripling the level of lawmakers pork-barrel from the P7.8 billion of his predecessor to P24.8 billion. He forgot, or refused to see the implications though of one thing: There was such an organization as the MNLF, which the Organization of Islamic Conference in 1976 as well as the Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos regimes had recognized as the legitimate representative of the Muslim insurgents. The MILF had not existed when the Tripoli agreement was signed. It was formed after a group within the MNLF disagreed vehemently against the pact. Because the dictator Marcos at that time was legally both the executive and the legislative, the so-called 1976 Tripoli Agreement was considered an international treaty, which the country was bound to honor, unless it was specifically rescinded by subsequent Congresses, which it was not. But Aquino has totally ignored the MNLF, with the so-called Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed at the Presidential Palace itself in October 2012 having no reference at all to that insurgent group as if it were only the MILF that had waged a war against the Republic, and the sole representative of Muslims in Mindanao. His mind obsessed with the delusion that a Nobel Peace Prize was within his reach, Aquino ignored the realities of the Muslim insurgency. True, the MNLF had been drastically weakened

since its peace pact with the government, a victim of its own success as many MNLF veterans had been integrated into the police and the military along the terms of the 1994 Final Peace Agreement during the Fidel Ramos administration. True, many MNLF veterans were disappointedor even disgustedwith its chairman Nur Misuari that they set up their own break-away groups. What Aquino didnt understand though was the ethnic dimension of the Muslim insurgency. Moros are deeply divided along ethnic groups, which are nearly nations in that they have their own territories. Although Misuari tried to make MNLF a secular organization, even leaning towards a socialist orientation because of the influence of Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison over his thinking, his organization has been basically an organization of Taosugs, who are based in Sulu. This was not unexpected as Misuari is a Tausug himself, with his father part of the Tausug royalty. Misuari had relied initially (and even today) on his kinsmen and their network for the MNLFs backbone. However, a big push to the MNLFs growth was the addition to its ranks of an entirely different group of young Moro leaders led by Hashim Salamat, who unlike Misuari was an Islamic cleric who studied in Muslim universities in Saudi Arabia, the breeding ground for Islamic jihadists in the world. In contrast to Misuaris views, Salamat saw the Moros struggle in religious, Islamic terms, thus its name as an Islamic rather than National Front. Salamat though is from another Muslim ethnic group, the Maguindanaoans who mostly populate the central Mindanao provinces of Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. The Maguindanaoansthat Salamat recruited into the MNLF of which he was vice chairman until he broke off in 1977dominated the so-called Batch 90 of MNLF commanders, who were first trained in Malaysia by former British special forces and who would form its officers corp. The MILF therefore has been mainly an organization of Maguindanaons, with a contingent of Maranaos from the Lanao provinces, but who have been historically known as merchants rather than guerillas. The MNLF on the other hand has been an organization of Tausugs, mostly from Sulu and, to a limited extent, the Zamboanga peninsula. To Muslims, Tausugs are known to be warriors, while Maguindanaoans are farmers, adding to the MNLFs sentiment that it is the leader of the Muslim rebellion. It is the MNLFs ethnic base that provides it with a pool of fighters that Misuari, or even his successors, can call upon to wage war. After all, Sulu has been one of the poorest provinces in the country, making it a breeding ground for insurgents. The terrorist Abu Sayyaf was mostly organized by sons of veteran MNLF commanders who felt that Misuari had capitulated with his peace agreement with Ramos in 1994. Rather than join the MILFseen as an organization of Maguindanaonsthese MNLF sons instead set up their own armed group, which Al-Qaeda jihadists from Indonesia had brainwashed to their cause. The MNLF may have neglected the expansion and strengthening of its military organization ever since the 1994 final peace agreement. However, it could easily call on the Tausugsmost of

whom after all are still mired in povertyand arm them to undertake such trouble as the Zamboanga siege, so the government would be forced to include them in its talks with the MILF. It is easily rousing Tausugs wrath against the government with its valid argument that the Tausug people (the MNLF) shed their blood to fight for the Moro nation, yet the Aquino government is turning over Muslim Mindanao to the Maguindanaoans (the MILF). The tragedy here is that even the administrations peace plan with the MILF is itself unraveling as Aquino becomes more and more of a lame-duck president each month. Aquino had declared that he wouldnt push for amending the Constitution. However, a Constitutional provision is clearly necessary to set up the new autonomous political entity that the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro calls for. Part VII of the agreement also specifies that a major role of the Transition Committee, which has to implement the Agreement, is to work on proposals to amend the Philippine Constitution for the purpose of accommodating and entrenching in the Constitution the agreements of the Parties. Worse, the pork barrel controversy, which has shattered this administrations image as a graftbuster, will make the Agreement with the MILF impossible to implement. This is because it also requires a law to rescind the 1989 Organic Act (amended in 2001) that had set up the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, so it could be replaced by the Bangsamoro (which means Moro State) Aquino promised the MILF. But with the pork barrel system removed, which Aquino is forced to do so or face the nations wrath, he will be unable to bribe the legislature to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which the dominantly anti-Moro Congress actually hate. For its part, when the MILF realizes that Aquino was merely promising them the moon, it would undertake its own, more deadly version of the MNLFs Zamboanga siege.