Philippines and Moro talks formally open<\/p>\n
DAVAO, Philippines (Agencies): Peace talks with Moro rebels
\nformally opened in this southern city late yesterday, delayed by
\nbackroom negotiations to solve remaining problems.<\/p>\n
Most of the day was taken up with trying to resolve a dispute
\nover demands by the Moslem insurgent group, the Moro National
\nLiberation Front (MNLF), for the setting up of a powerful police
\nforce that would give teeth to a transitional government leading
\nto an Islamic autonomous region.<\/p>\n
MNLF chairman Nur Misuari said that a regional security force
\nto police the area must be set up to enable the transitional
\ngovernment to enforce law and order and maintain the peace needed
\nfor economic development.<\/p>\n
Government negotiators said Misuari wanted the force to be
\ndirectly under the council's command, while Manila wants it to
\nremain under the Philippine National Police.<\/p>\n
Misuari also hinted he was agreeable to a government
\ncompromise formula that would resolve another problem, whether
\nthe issue of an autonomous region would be put to a vote.<\/p>\n
This compromise would involve the setting up of a transitional
\nmechanism called the \"Southern Philippines Council for Peace and
\nDevelopment\" that would govern parts of the southern Philippines
\nfor three years.<\/p>\n
This would allow Misuari to allay the fears of the area's
\nlarge Christian majority that a Moslem autonomous region would
\ndiscriminate against them.<\/p>\n
The negotiations will resume today, with members of both
\npanels making themselves available for tomorrow if more issues
\nneed to be resolved.<\/p>\n
Misuari also said he was ready to make peace with the
\ngovernment but warned any stop-gap solution to the southern
\nPhilippine rebellion would only breed a new war.<\/p>\n
\"I believe there is a very big chance that we can conclude
\nthis year,\" Misuari told a news conference in a cramped room of
\nthe Davao Insular Century Hotel on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\"To me, there is no better opportunity than now to put the
\nfinal touches to our agreement.\"<\/p>\n
But he warned that the MNLF, the main insurgent group fighting
\nfor Moslem self-rule in the southern islands, would not accept a
\nstop-gap solution to the massive problems of poverty and
\ninjustice that drove Moslems to revolt.<\/p>\n
\"If all what we could do is come up with a stop-gap solution,
\nI don't know whether what we are going to sow is permanent peace
\nin the end or it would be just sowing another seed for another
\nround of war,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The so-called Southern Philippine Council for Peace and
\nDevelopment that Manila is offering to establish would oversee
\ndevelopment efforts in a proposed autonomous region covering at
\nleast 13 southern provinces and nine cities.<\/p>\n
Once the council is formed, Moro guerrillas will be integrated
\ninto the Philippine armed forces.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/philippines-and-moro-talks-formally-open-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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