Southeast Asian neighbors agree to deport Misuari

Southeast Asian neighbors agree to deport Misuari

Reuters, Manila

Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have agreed that
Philippine Moro rebel leader Nur Misuari should be returned to
Manila to stand trial, officials said on Friday.

But Manila has been asked to consider allowing him to seek
asylum overseas, they said.

A joint communique by foreign ministers of the three nations,
issued late on Thursday, said Malaysia would turn Misuari over to
the Philippines, where he faces charges of rebellion.

The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Malaysia told a news
conference on Friday they had explored the possibility of Misuari
being sent to a third country, but finally accepted Manila's view
that he had to return to stand trial.

Newspapers had said Misuari could be given political asylum in
Libya or any other nation belonging to the Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC) group.

But the Philippines demanded that he be sent home for trial
and the agreement with Indonesia and Malaysia, both members of
the OIC, signals the Islamic group would not object.

"On the case surrounding Professor Nur Misuari, we recognize
the bilateral commitment of Malaysia to deport Professor Misuari
back to the Philippines and that the case is essentially for the
Philippine justice system to resolve," Indonesian Foreign
Minister Hassan Wirayuda told the news conference.

"However, we have conveyed to the Philippines the interest of
the Organization of Islamic Conference to see that Misuari be
granted sanctuary in a third country on humanitarian grounds," he
added.

"From our discussions, including with the President,
(President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) last night, the Philippines
is expecting that Misuari be sent back to the Philippines and
face trial according to the judicial system of the Philippines,"
Hassan said.

Hassan and Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar arrived
in Manila on Thursday to discuss the fate of Misuari, detained in
Malaysia for illegal entry.

Indonesia and Malaysia are two of the eight OIC nations which
helped mediate a peace deal between the largely Roman Catholic
Philippines and Misuari's Moro National Liberation Front in 1996.

Misuari reneged on the deal when the government insisted on
holding elections for the post in November and backed a rival
candidate. The rival, Parouk Hussin, was declared elected as the
Philippine National Security Adviser Roilo Golez has said Misuari
will likely be sent to the Philippines by mid-January.