Muslim separatists hail peace deal with Philippines<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Muslim separatist rebels on Saturday hailed a
\nlandmark ceasefire signed with the Philippines government, saying
\nit would kick-start desperately needed economic development in
\nthe war-ravaged south.<\/p>\n
The accord, signed in Libya late Friday, would strengthen \"the
\npeace process,\" said Eid Kabalu, the spokesman for the Moro
\nIslamic Liberation Front (MILF) which has been waging a 23-year
\narmed rebellion seeking an independent Islamic state.<\/p>\n
Kabalu said the deal, signed in the Libyan capital of Tripoli,
\nwould lead to the \"introduction of economic development in
\nMindanao,\" the impoverished Muslim southern third of
\npredominantly Roman Catholic Philippines.<\/p>\n
However Kabalu said the MILF had not given up its demand for
\nindependence, stressing that no \"political issues were tackled
\nduring the talks.\"<\/p>\n
The deal was brokered over two days under the supervision of
\nSeif al-Islam, who heads a Libyan charity foundation.<\/p>\n
It will allow hundreds of thousands of families displaced by
\nthe rebellion to return to their homes without fear of getting
\ncaught in crossfire.<\/p>\n
President Gloria Arroyo's spokesman, Rigoberto Tiglao, said
\nthe ceasefire could be a prelude to a final political solution on
\nthe Muslim separatist problem.<\/p>\n
The 12,500-strong MILF is the country's main Muslim separatist
\ngroup. It splintered from the larger Moro National Liberation
\nFront (MNLF) in 1978, and was left out of a 1996 peace accord
\nbetween Manila and the MNLF.<\/p>\n
A smaller group, the Abu Sayyaf, is holding more than two
\ndozen US and Filipino hostages in southern Basilan province.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the media reported on Saturday that
\nthe Abu Sayaff had executed two Filipino hostages on the
\noutskirts of the Basilan island capital, Isabela, and left a
\nmocking note for troops hunting them.<\/p>\n
Two other headless bodies were also found near the town of
\nTuburan on the island's north coast, where the guerrillas said
\nthey executed American hostage Guillermo Sobero.<\/p>\n
The remains near Tuburan were not immediately identified but
\npolice said they were also Filipinos.<\/p>\n
The bodies dumped in a forested area near Isabela though were
\nidentified as Primitivo Falcasantos and Crisanto Suelo, who were
\namong the 26 Filipino and US hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf.<\/p>\n
\"We recovered this morning the bodies believed to be those of
\nFalcasantos and Suelo,\" Senior Inspector Jerry Bayabos of the
\nBasilan police said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/muslim-separatists-hail-peace-deal-with-philippines-1447899208",
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