Misuari's aide calls for OIC meeting in Malaysia
Misuari's aide calls for OIC meeting in Malaysia
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur
An associate of detained Muslim leader Nur Misuari on Saturday
called for an emergency meeting of Islamic countries to decide
the former governor's fate.
"Currently, it appears that the life and death of (Misuari) is
being decided only by two or three of the members of the
committee -- Indonesia and Malaysia -- subject to the approval of
a non-OIC member, which is the republic of the Philippines," Elly
Pamatong, a U.S.-based lawyer, said in a letter to the
Organization of the Islamic Conference secretary general
Abdelouahed Belkeziz.
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo Friday rejected an appeal
from the OIC for Misuari to be given sanctuary in a third country
and instead vowed to put him on trial for rebellion.
Arroyo's government was reportedly unhappy about taking
Misuari back immediately for fear he could become a rallying
point for Muslim discontent in the southern Philippines.
"Since the life of (Misuari) is at stake, it is further
submitted that the 57 members of the OIC must be consulted before
he is handed over on a silver platter to the Philippines for
imprisonment, torture or execution," Pamatong said.
Pamatong, who claims to represent Misuari, also sought for
permission to meet and confer with Misuari on or before Dec. 25,
in a letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
"Given the total absence of objection from all parties
concerned -- even from the Philippine government -- I pray that
your Excellency will grant me the privilege of seeing my clients
or before Christmas."
Malaysia said Saturday it has decided on a tentative date in
mid-January to send Misuari back to the Philippines.
"We still hold on to the understanding that he must be
deported as soon as possible... the sooner, the better, because
we do not want to be in limbo," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar
was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times daily.
Misuari's followers launched an uprising in the southern
Philippine island of Jolo last month in a futile attempt to
derail elections that ended Misuari's five-year hold on the
governorship of a Muslim self-rule region.
Misuari fled after the short-lived rebellion, and was arrested
with six followers off an island in Malaysia's Sabah state on
Borneo island on Nov. 24.
The Arroyo government had earlier floated the idea of sending
Misuari to Libya to head off a violent backlash by his
supporters, but stressed Friday that this was no longer on the
table.