Signs of more trouble

From the Daily Tribune:

Tension flares as MILF rebs mass up in Sultan Kudarat

By Mario J. Mallar and Michaela P. del Callar
Wednesday, 09 01, 2004

Tension build up in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao yesterday after a large group of Moslem secessionist guerrillas gathered near a military detachment in Sultan Kudarat province ahead of the proposed peace talks.

About 200 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels moved into the village of Camanga near the town of Isulan last Monday, Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano, chairman of the Government Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) monitoring with its MILF counterpart the 13-month-old ceasefire between the two sides.

Accusing the Moslem separatist group of violating the ceasefire, the military declined to say what had triggered the sudden rebel movement, but it followed an armed clash last week near the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao province.

The monitoring teams are meeting to try to defuse the situation ahead of planned peace talks in Malaysia, Yano told reporters.

Talks are ongoing “to avert any further hostilities because we also have troops deployed very near the area,” the military official said.

“It's too close for comfort. There could be a shootout.”

The military has asked the rebels to leave and also pledged to pull back its own forces, Yano said, adding the rebels appeared willing to move as early as Tuesday.

According to him, most of the rebels came from Mamasapano, the scene of the most recent clash between the MILF and government forces last week.

In the same week, a second clash occurred near the town of Ampatuan, leaving one soldier and two MILF rebels dead.

According to Yano, local residents reported the massing up of some 200 armed men belonging to the MILF's 109th guerilla base command which started last Monday.

He immediately contacted his MILF-CCCH counterpart, Benjie Midtimbang, who proceeded to the area along with a government representative to ask the rebels to voluntary withdraw from the area.

“We still don't know the reason (of massing up in the area) but they are willing to vacate the area, relocate and go back to their respective residence,” Yano, in a chance interview in Camp Aguinaldo, said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-Public Information Office chief Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said the rebels, headed by a certain commander, Zainudin Sindatok, also known as Commander Haon, were able to complete their pullout around 3:30 p.m.

The MILF fighters headed toward the towns of Datu Saudea Ampatuan, Mamasapano, Maganoy, and Datu Unsay Ampatuan in the province of Maguindanao.

Yano said they will formally file charges before the joint CCCH in order to avoid in the future a similar massing up of the rebels in the area.

“We will tell them (MILF CCCH) formally so that this will not happen again.”

Eid Kabalu, MILF spokesman, branded as “exaggerated” the action to be taken by the military, saying the rebels' presence in the area wasnot meant to wage war with the military.

Kabalu said an MILF commander residing in the village had conflict with some civilians and the purpose of deploying MILF members in the area was to pacify the situation.

“Our intention (of deploying MILF) there is to pacify the conflict, impose law and order and security in the area.”

“The military was quite alarmist because it deployed also soldiers to the area which could have really worsened the situation if not for the CCCH,” he added.

According to diplomatic sources, the peace process between the government and MILF is likely to face another setback as guidelines for the deployment of a monitoring team has not been finalized.

The sources said the rebel group has yet to submit its comments on the terms of reference (ToR) reportedly drafted by Malaysia.

Peace talks will not resume unless an international monitoring team is deployed.

The Philippine government has already submitted its comment on Malaysia's ToR.

It has also complied with the preconditions set by the MILF for the resumption of the talks such as the withdrawal of criminal charges filed against MILF leaders for the Davao City bombings and the withdrawal of government troops from the former MILF stronghold, Buliok Complex.

Mahinder Singh, Malaysian Embassy's charge d'affaires, said there is no schedule yet for the deployment of the Malaysia-led monitoring teams since the ToR has yet to be finalized.

Singh declined to answer queries on the peace process, saying questions on that matter should be directed to the Philippine government.

“We are only the facilitator. You should ask the Philippine government,” Singh, in a chance interview at Malaysia's celebration of its 47th national day at Makati Shangri-La Hotel, said.

Reports said Malaysia is set to deploy a 60-man monitoring team in September to observe the ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF.

Reports quoting Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysian observers will be engaged in a “peacekeeping” mission in Mindanao.

“This team is our contribution to the peace process in the southern Philippines,” Najib, also Malaysia's Defense minister, said

The team would comprise officials from the military, police and foreign ministry.

“Both parties, namely the Philippines Government and the MILF, have agreed in principle (to the deployment of the team),” Najib said, adding it is already making final preparations for its deployment to the Philippines.

Such a deployment is part of the agreement forged between the Philippine government and the MILF during the preliminary talks in Kuala Lumpur last April.

Aside from Malaysia, both panels have agreed to include Libya, Bahrain, Brunei and Bangladesh in the international monitoring team.