RP reopens peace talks with Moro rebels<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Philippine government negotiators reopened talks in Kuala Lumpur
\non Thursday with the country's biggest Moro rebel group in the
\nhope of reviving a stalled peace process.<\/p>\n
Jesus Dureza, who is leading a four-member government peace
\npanel, said Manila hoped to put negotiations with the Moro
\nIslamic Liberation Front (MILF) "back on track again" despite
\nrecent fighting.<\/p>\n
Dureza said the two-day talks, facilitated by Malaysian
\nofficials, would be "exploratory" in mapping out plans for the
\npeace process.<\/p>\n
But the fact that other armed groups and "terror elements"
\nwere operating in areas dominated by the MILF in the Southern
\nPhilippines complicated the negotiations, he said.<\/p>\n
Both sides would have to thrash out this problem and the
\ngovernment hoped to enlist the MILF's cooperation in "running
\nafter these criminal elements," he said.<\/p>\n
Dureza said there were many tracks to the peace process apart
\nfrom the negotiations, such as tackling the root cause of the
\nrebellion, improving the livelihood of the people and addressing
\nsocial inequities.<\/p>\n
It would be a long road toward a peace agreement, he added.<\/p>\n
Malaysia has long hosted formal negotiations between Manila
\nand the 12,500-strong MILF, which has been waging a 25-year
\ninsurgency to establish an independent Islamic state in the
\nsouthern Philippines.<\/p>\n
The MILF will be represented at the talks by lawyer Lanang
\nAli, former congressman Michael Mastura and Musid Buat, a member
\nof the MILF technical committee.<\/p>\n
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu told AFP on Wednesday that they
\nexpected the government to present its proposal to resume formal
\npeace talks but warned against hopes for an early peace.<\/p>\n
Kabalu said he expected the two sides to discuss issues
\nrelated to the implementation of a cease-fire agreement signed in
\n2001, economic and human rehabilitation programs and cooperation
\nin fighting crime.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-reopens-peace-talks-with-moro-rebels-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}