RP group endorses More peace plan<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): A group of Roman Catholic, Protestant and
\nIslamic religious leaders yesterday endorsed an interim peace
\ndeal with Moro guerrillas, as gunmen wiped out a militia post in
\nthe south of the country.<\/p>\n
The endorsement also came as residents of a southern city
\nplanned a general strike against the peace agreement.<\/p>\n
The National Ecumenical Consultative Committee (NECCOM), after
\na meeting with President Fidel Ramos, said they supported the
\ncreation of a regional council that will supervise development
\nprojects in 14 mainly Christian provinces in the south.<\/p>\n
Under the peace agreement, the Moslem insurgent Moro National
\nLiberation Front (MNLF) would lead the Southern Philippines
\nCouncil for Peace and Development (SPCPD) for three years, paving
\nthe way for the creation of a wider Moslem autonomous region.<\/p>\n
The Christians have protested against the agreement, saying it
\nwill lead to Moslem rule.<\/p>\n
But the Christian leaders said they decided to support the
\nSPCPD \"in order to give peace a chance to work.\"<\/p>\n
However, in a position paper, the NECCOM urged Manila to
\nensure that members of an 81-strong Consultative Assembly, which
\nwill help the SPCPD are appointed \"on the basis of proportional
\nrepresentation in accordance with population.\"<\/p>\n
This would conflict with the proposed agreement which gives 54
\nseats in the assembly to the MNLF and their allies with the rest
\ncoming from local officials.<\/p>\n
The religious leaders also called on Manila to decide on what
\nto do with the firearms of an estimated 15,000 MNLF guerrillas
\nand to make sure that the SPCPD will \"respect the separation of
\nChurch and State.\"<\/p>\n
A proposed Islamic body to advise the council \"should be
\noutside the formal government structure,\" they added.<\/p>\n
Religious biases are strong in the main southern island of
\nMindanao, which this largely Roman Catholic country's Moslem
\nminority considers their ancestral homeland. Waves of Christian
\nmigrants have relegated the Moslems to a minority.<\/p>\n
Ramos's chief aide said yesterday that Manila has made headway
\nin its efforts to gain popular support for the council.<\/p>\n
Executive Secretary Ruben Torres said opponents of the SPCPD
\nwere only \"misinformed,\" after Christians had told him they would
\nbe barred from eating pork or that their lands would be taken
\naway from them and given to Moslems once the SPCPD is
\nestablished.<\/p>\n
Torres added that Ramos's ruling party was reworking the image
\nof MNLF chief Nur Misuari in preparation for his running in
\nSeptember elections for governor of a smaller existing Moslem
\nautonomous area as part of the peace initiative.<\/p>\n
This included even working on Misuari's \"leaflets, posters and
\ncampaign materials,\" Torres said.<\/p>\n
Torres's statements came as residents of the mainly-Christian
\ncity of Dipolog prepared for a general strike today to protest
\nthe inclusion of their province of Zamboanga del Norte in the
\nSPCPD.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the strike vowed to paralyze transportation,
\ngovernment offices and schools.<\/p>\n
Police in Mindanao reported that suspected MNLF guerrillas
\nturned bandit, raided a militia outpost in Siocon town, hacking
\nthe army soldier in charge to death.<\/p>\n
Four militiamen at the outpost, along with 14 weapons, were
\nmissing and believed taken by the raiders.<\/p>\n
It could not be determined if this incident was related to the
\ninterim peace agreement. Although the MNLF has signed a cease-
\nfire with the government, other armed Moslem factions are not
\ncovered by the agreement.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-group-endorses-more-peace-plan-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}