MILF separatists offer 10-day truce

Thu, 29 May 2003, 00:00 WIB | Source: AFP

PHILIPPINES: Muslim separatists declared on Wednesday a 10-day
unilateral cease-fire from next week to give peace talks a chance
to resume in the troubled southern Philippines, 12 days into a
campaign of punitive strikes ordered by President Gloria Arroyo.

Arroyo in a statement welcomed the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF)'s offer as "a positive and welcome development", but
urged them to do more by complying with an earlier government
demand to turn over suspected bombers and cut links with terror
groups.

MILF military chief Murad Ebrahim signed the cease-fire
declaration, rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said. It would start on
June 2 to give MILF field commanders enough time to receive and
comply with the order, he added.

Kabalu said the decision was in response to an "earnest call"
from the dominant Roman Catholic Church as well as other peace
advocates for an end to fighting in the Mindanao region. --AFP

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