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Excerpts
from
THE
FINAL COMMUNIQUE
The
issue of Muslims in Southern Philippines:
79.
The Conference adopted the recommendations of this Session’s
fringe meeting of the Ministerial Committee of Seven on the
follow-up of the 1996 Peace Agreement between the Moro National
Liberation Front and the Government of the Philippines, which
was attended by His Excellency Professor Nur Missuari, Chairman
of the Front, and a representative of the Government of the
Philippines. The Conference expressed its appreciation for the
step taken so far to implement in full the aforementioned peace
agreement. It also called on the Government of the Philippines
and the Moro National Liberation Front to preserve the gains
made by the said agreement especially the restoration of peace
in the south of the country. It demanded that the necessary
guarantees be provided for that purpose.
80.
The Conference also called on the parties concerned to continue
providing adequate assistance to fully implement the Peace
Agreement during the transitional period until the establishment
of the Autonomous Region in the Southern Philippines.
Excerpts from
REPORTS OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL,
H.E.
ABDELOUAHED BELKEZIZ ON THE MUSLIM MINORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE
TWENTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN
MINISTERS
BAMAKO, REPUBLIC OF MALI
4-8 RABIEUL THANI 1422H (25-29 JUNE, 2001)
(e)
On 8.1.2001 the Chairman of the Moro National Liberation
Front (MNLF) was received at the General Secretariat. The
meeting reviewed the most recent developments in Southern
Philippines and the obstacles to the
Peace Agreement signed with the Government of the
Philippines, and the steps taken to implement Resolution
No.56/9-P(IS) of the 9th Islamic Summit Conference on the
Question of Muslims in the Southern Philippines. The MNLF
Chairman emphasized that the Government of
the Philippines has not honoured its obligations
stipulated in the Agreement, especially those concerning the
provision of necessary funds for development and reconstruction
in the Southern Philippines.
ON THE QUESTION OF MUSLIMS IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES
1.
Following a protracted struggle spanning almost four
decades the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) signed a Peace
Agreement on 2 September 1996 with the government of the
Philippines, and with the participation of the Ministerial
Committee of Six entrusted with following up this question as
well as the OIC Secretary General. This result was reached to
thanks to the efforts exerted by the Member States of the OIC
Committee of Six, in collaboration with H.E. the President of
Indonesia, H.E. the then President of the Philippines, and
Professor Nur Misuari, Chairman of the MNLF. The agreement
provided, for the implementation, by the government of the
Philippines, of the infrastructure projects in southern
Philippines as being the main approach towards establishing
peace in the region prior to the establishment of the Autonomous
Region following a plebiscite which was planned to be conducted
within three years of the date of signing the agreement, i.e.
September 1999.
2.
The Peace Agreement also provided for establishing the
Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD)
and its Consultative Assembly (CA) under the leadership of
Professor Nur Misurari, leader of the MNLF. The SPCPD was
charged with coordinating the development programmes and
projects, to be executed by the government of the Philippines in
14 provinces and 9 cities in Mindanao, southern Philippines,
i.e. in the provinces and cities which have been declared as a
Special Zone for Peace and Development; the zone earmarked for
the Autonomous Region.
3.
However, the MNLF complained of the slow pace of the
government of the Philippines in implementing the Peace
Agreement. The government has neither honored the obligations
stipulated in the agreement, nor extended the necessary
facilities to the MNLF leadership which has been entrusted with
the responsibility for the economic rehabilitation of the region
in the southern Philippines which is under the MNLF charge. Most
important of these obligations is the provision of the approved
budget to carry out development projects in the region. The
government of the Philippines had allocated 41.9 billion Pesos
for development projects in Mindanao. However, only 2 billion
pesos have been disbursed, in addition to non-rehabilitation of
the airport, non-completion of the roads nor of the necessary
housing areas, as promised.
4.
The achievement of comprehensive development and
establishment of peace in southern Philippines necessitate the
effective participation of both the Government of the Republic
of the Philippines and the MNLF in accordance with the approved
plans. The MNLF cannot carry out the task entrusted to it
without the provision, by the government, of the necessary
budget for development projects – this being an essential part
of the Peace Agreement signed between the two parties.
5.
The constitution of government bodies to carry out
projects in the southern Philippines in the absence of
government cooperation with the Council for Peace and
Development, entrusted with development, security and peace as
well as making preparations for establishing autonomy,
unilaterally, by the Government, in 14 areas, constitute one of
the means to convince public opinion in the south that the
Council has done nothing to benefit the inhabitants of the
Autonomous Region. This will have a bad impact on the plebiscite
on autonomy.
6.
The government of the Philippines is currently using the
economic weapon against the Council for Peace and Development
which acts as provisional autonomy (in the 14 areas). This means
exposing the MNLF to failure in the regional plebiscite with the
aim of removing it from administering the regions specified by
the Peace Agreement signed on 2 September 1996. This will lead
to the collapse of the agreement and place the Muslims into
difficult and complicated conditions.
7.
In view of the gravity of the prevailing situation in the
southern Philippines, Mr. Nur Misuari, Governor of the
Autonomous Region and MNLF Chairman, submitted a memorandum in
September 1999 to the then President of the Philippines
requesting postponement of the plebiscite on the government of
the Autonomous Region to September 2003 in order to ensure
implementation of the items of the Peace Agreement and ensure
the best conditions for development and stability for the sake
of avoiding the collapse of the Peace Agreement. He also
requested to extend the tenure of the Council for Peace and
Development to the year 2003.
8.
The MNLF had adopted a decision to pursue its mission in
southern Philippines despite the difficulties and impediments
with the aim of saving the area from further tension and the
return of the cycle of violence. It requested the central
government to respond to these requirements and the sincere
aspirations of more than ten million people of Mindanao. The
Front requested the OIC Member States to extend all possible
assistance to achieve the economic and social development of the
region.
9.
In support of the MNLF position, the OIC General
Secretariat has continued to urge the parties concerned with the
question of the Muslims in southern Philippines, including the
government of the Philippines, to honor their commitments and
obligations. It supported the MNLF request to postpone the
plebiscite to the year 2003, and the provision of the necessary
funds by the Government in order to enable the MNLF to properly
carry out its mission of restoring peace and achieving
development in southern Philippines.
10.
The 27th ICFM, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 24 to
27 Rabie I 1421H (27-30 June 2000) adopted Resolution No.
56/27-P on the Question of Muslims in southern Philippines,
expressing its appreciation of the important steps taken to
fully implement the Agreement. It called on the Government of
the Republic of the Philippines and the MNLF to preserve the
progress made as a result of signing the Peace Agreement on 2
September 1996. Operative para (14) of the Resolution stipulates
as follows:
"Requests
the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to consider
postponing the election date set for the Autonomous Region of
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to 2003, and consequently to postpone the
plebiscite, in order to ensure the full implementation of all
measures and policies as stipulated in para 1 and 2 of the Peace
Agreement, including the accelerated implementation of
development projects and programmes in the special Zone of Peace
and Development"
Operative
para (15) stipulates as follows:
"Urges
the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to immediately
cease its military attack on the MNLF and the Bangsamoro people
and to seek a peaceful resolution of the existing problem in
Mindanao".
11.
The Ministerial Committee of Seven entrusted with
following up the implementation of the Peace Agreement, signed
between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and
the MNLF on 2 September 1996, held a meeting on 28 June 2000,
alongside the 27th ICFM, under the Chairmanship of the Foreign
Minister of Indonesia, Dr. Alawi Shihab, in order to listen to
the progress reports and observations of both sides on the
implementation of the Peace Agreement.
12.
The representative of the government of the Philippines
delivered a statement in which he maintained that his government
took measures to implement the agreement concluded with the MNLF,
including working to provide the necessary financial resources
to implement the development projects in the southern
Philippines. He stated that the delay in implementing some
projects was due to the financial crisis which the country was
facing, stressing that his government had postponed the election
date set for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to
September 2001, hoping that the government will be able to honor
its obligations during this period.
13.
The MNLF delegation, headed by Professor Nur Misuari,
made an exhaustive presentation before the Committee in which he
deplored the allegations made by the head of the Delegation of
the Philippine government, particularly regarding the financial
figures allocated to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.
He reminded the Committee that the Philippine government
continued to impede the implementation of the development
projects and urged the latter to comply with the provisions of
the Peace Agreement in order to achieve a comprehensive and
lasting peace in the southern Philippines.
14.
Given the disparity between the positions of the two
parties, and the need for the language of dialogue to prevail
and for an appropriate mechanism to be found to verify
conditions in the southern Philippines, to follow up and
evaluate the situation and to make practical proposals in this
regard, the Committee recommended to send a fact-finding mission
to be constituted from the Ministerial Committee of Seven to the
Philippines to assess the current situation in the southern
Philippines and verify the progress made in implementing the
1996 Peace Agreement.
15.
In implementation of paragraph (118) of the Final
Communique of the 27th ICFM and the recommendations of the
Ministerial Committee of Seven on the question of Muslims in the
Southern Philippines, held in Kuala Lumpur on 28 June, 2000, the
fact-finding Commission visited
the Philippines from 16 to 21 October 2000, headed by Dr.
Alawi Shihab, Foreign Minister of Indonesia. Representatives of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, People’s Republic of Bangladesh,
the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Republic
of Senegal and the OIC participated in the visit. The aim was to
evaluate the situation in the Southern Philippines and to be
briefed on the progress made in implementing the 1996 Peace
Agreement, and to meet the representatives of the MNLF and the
Government of the Republic of the Philippines and to visit
Southern Philippines.
16.
The Ministerial Committee of Seven on Following-up the
Implementation of the Peace Agreement held a meeting on
10.11.2000 on the sidelines of the 9th Islamic Summit
Conference, held in Doha, State of Qatar, from 12 to 14 November
2000, under the chairmanship of Dr. Alawi Shehab, Foreign
Minister of Indonesia and the participation of the
representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the People’s
Republic of Bangladesh, the Great Socialist People’s Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya, Republic of Senegal, Republic of Somalia,
Brunei Darussalam and the OIC, aimed at listening to the report
of the Fact-finding Commission of the Ministerial Committee of
Seven and its mission to the Philippines from 16 to 21 October
2000.
17.
In this report it was mentioned that the representative
of the Republic of the Philippines gave an address in which he
reaffirmed his government’s commitment to implementing the
peace agreement signed with the Moro National Liberation Front,
and also to providing the financial resources required for the
realization of development projects in Southern Philippines.
18.
The delegation of the Moro National Liberation Front,
under the chairmanship of Professor Nur Misuari, gave a
comprehensive presentation on the situation in Southern
Philippines and the obstacles to the implementation of the
agreement in all fields, reminding the Committee that these
obstacles do not help the effective implementation of the
agreement and urging the government of the Republic of the
Philippines to abide by the provisions of the peace agreement.
19.
The Committee reviewed the report presented by its
fact-finding mission and thereon submitted the following
recommendations to the Summit Conference:
i.
that the government of the Republic of the Philippines
and the Moro National Liberation Front agree on rescheduling a
date, no later than the year 2003, to conduct a referendum so
that it becomes possible to complete the transition from an
interim status to normal self-rule in accordance with Resolution
P 56/27 of the 27th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
ii.
that the government of the Republic of the Philippines
upgrade the level of participation of the Committee of Southern
Philippines for Peace and Development in peace and development
activities in the region and in governmental decision-making.
The Committee also recommends that the Mindanao Muslims’
self-rule area strengthen its administrative apparatus with a
view to encouraging other regions and other armed Muslim
communities to join the Mindanao Muslims’ self-rule area.
iii.
Individuals who have completed their basic military
training or who are still in military training in the Philippine
army shall remain in separate units and be gradually
incorporated in the Philippine armed forces and the Philippine
national police.
iv.
To provide financial and technical support to enable
Muslim communities – including former fighters – to join the
economic development efforts in the area designated for peace
and development, in line with the role of the OIC as a mediator
in the peace process.
v.
To urge the government of the Republic of the Philippines
to stop its military assault on the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front immediately and find a peaceful solution to the current
crisis in Mindanao.
vi.
To commission the chairman of the Committee of Seven to
make the necessary contacts with the Philippine government
during the first quarter of 2001 to draw up a time-table for the
implementation of all the items of the 1996 peace agreement.
20.
Having considered the report of the afore-mentioned
fact-finding mission, the Ninth Islamic Summit Conference, held
in Doha, provided in its Resolution No.56/9-P(IS), as follows:
1.
Welcomes the new membership of Brunei Darussalam in the
Committee of Six on the Question of Muslims in Southern
Philippines.
2.
Calls on both the Government of the Republic of
Philippines and the MNLF to preserve the gains achieved as a
result of the signing of the “Peace Agreement”.
3.
Commissions the Chairman of the Committee of Seven to
make the necessary contacts with the GRP and the MNLF during a
period not later than the end of the first quarter of 2001 with
a view to setting up a time-table for the implementation of all
the provisions of the 1996 Peace Agreement.
4.
Urges the Government of the Republic of Philippines and
MILF to promptly put an end to armed hostilities and to pursue
peace talks toward finding a peaceful resolution to the existing
problem in Mindanao.
5.
Appeals to all Islamic charitable organizations in OIC
Member States, as well as others, to extend medical and other
humanitarian assistance to the displaced people who are the
victims of violence in Mindanao and its islands.
21.
The MNLF maintains in its reports that the two year
extension given by the government of the Philippines for
implementing phase I of the Peace Agreement without releasing
funds allocated to development projects is but an excuse to
annul the peace process. It confirms that the government of the
Philippines continues to place obstacles to the implementation
of the Peace Agreement; it has not honoured the commitments
stipulated in the Agreement, especially providing the necessary
funds for the development and reconstruction of the Southern
Philippines.
22.
On 27 February 2001 the Secretary General received a
message from Professor Nur Misuari, Chairman of the MNLF
informing that the Government of the Philippines has decided to
conduct a plebesite on ratifying the revised law to expand the
autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao on 14 May 2001, in 14
provinces and 12 cities, to coincide with the local elections in
the Philippines. This conflicts with Res. No.56/9-P(IS) of the
9th Islamic Summit Conference and it is also contrary to the
articles of the 1996 Peace Agreement, signed between the
Government of the Philippines and the MNLF. He appealed to the
OIC to exert its efforts towards the Government of the
Philippines in order to give up the implementation of its
decision.
23.
The MNLF appealed to the OIC Member States to double
their assistance to the Muslims of southern Philippines in order
to achieve the economic development of the area which has been
suffering deprivation over many years. It called on the OIC
Specialized and Affiliated Organs, especially the IDB, to
participate in the development process. The MNLF also requested
the parties concerned with the question of Muslims in southern
Philippines to urge the government of the Philippines to
postpone the plebiscite to the year 2003 to enable the former to
carry out its mission.
24.
The Secretary General dispatched a message No.670, dated
26.2.2001 to Dr. Alawi Shihab, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Indonesia, hoping that His Excellency would exert his good
offices towards the Government of the Philippines, in order to
set up a timetable for implementing all the articles of the 1996
Peace Agreement, not later than the end of the first quarter of
2001 in implementation of operative para (8) of Res.
No.56/9-P(IS) of the 9th Islamic Summit Conference.
25.
The Secretary General is submitting the present Report to
the 28 Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers
for appropriate decision thereon.
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