Muslim religious leaders call for peace, justice in Mindanao
We, the Ulama[1] of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sharif Kabunsuan, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani Province, General Santos City, Davao City, Davao Provinces, Zamboanga del Sur, and Cotabato City, having gathered for the regional consultative forum of the “Empowering the Ulama of the Philippines” project[2];
Deeply alarmed about the fragile peace situation in Mindanao aggravated by the controversies surrounding the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domains (MOA-AD) between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF);
TRANSCRIPT of press briefing of Executive Secretary Ermita
PRESS BRIEFING OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY EDUARDO ERMITA
August 20, 2008
ERMITA: Good afternoon. Thank you, Undersecretary Crisostomo. I’d like to read out a press statement which I prepared in connection with the ongoing situation in Mindanao dated August 20.
“President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is angered and deeply frustrated by the treacherous acts committed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that has now clouded the prospects on early positive conclusion of the peace process between government and the MILF. The President detests the MILF leadership’s lack of control over its so-called base commands particularly on the actions in Lanao del Norte of its field commanders namely Umbra Kato and Bravo, which resulted in the death of innocent civilians and the displacement of thousands from their communities.
URGENT APPEAL from the convenors of the Bishops-Ulama Conference
BISHOPS-ULAMA CONFERENCE
6th Floor, Elena Tower Inn, Tibanga, P.O. Box 43836, 9200 Iligan CityTel.: (063) 223-2928 Tel/Fax: (063) 223-8120
e-mail: bucsecretariat@yahoo.com
URGENT APPEAL from the Convenors of the Bishops-Ulama Conference
10:20 A.M.
20 August 2008
We, the undersigned convenors of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, most earnestly and urgently appeal to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and to the Central Committee of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to put an immediate STOP to the fighting between their respective combatants, to order them back to their barracks and headquarters, to release captives and hostages, and to arrive at an immediate ceasefire agreement
InPeace Mindanao
Initiatives for Peace in Mindanao
August 21, 2008
Arroyo’s policy shift in peace negotiations will intensify conflict in Mindanao
Mrs. Arroyo’s policy-shift in her administration’s peace negotiations to ‘disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation’ will spell more disaster than bring about peace especially in Mindanao.
Already, Malacañang has hinted at reneging on with its Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front through a policy of ‘review’ and ‘non-renegotiation.’ Now, government reportedly wants to directly relate with communities, side-stepping revolutionary organizations if they refuse to lay down their arms.
On being a Moro and a Muslim
ON BEING A MORO AND A MUSLIM
(A Statement from the Office of Anak Mindanao Party List Representative Mujiv S. Hataman on the Privilege Speech of Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin)
When the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front caused a wave of protests among different sectors of society, we feared the resurging of anti-Moro discrimination and prejudice.
Though we believed that the said Memorandum of Agreement could have been a major breakthrough in the peace process, we adhered and respected the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Supreme Read more…
Rep. Teodoro Locsin’s privilege speech vs MOA-AD
PRIVILEGE SPEECH AGAINST POSTPONEMENT OF ARMM ELECTION AND THE GRP-MILF MOA |
By Representative Teodoro Locsin
4 August 2008
My classmate, Digs Dilangalen says, let us approach this issue calmly. That is easy to do for one who stands to gain an entirely new country. It is harder to do for a citizen of the country at whose expense that gain shall be made.
TOMORROW the Government of the Republic of the Philippines will sign with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the country that was funding the secessionist struggle in the South, a peace agreement. It is styled as an innocuous “MOA” (memorandum of agreement), supposedly on just the subject of ancestral domain. In truth, it shall be part of a comprehensive peace agreement whose details are, however, also spelled out in the MOA, which, for all intents and purposes, gives away the very vitals of a sovereign country, a republic and a democracy to boot.
In fact, the MOA also styles itself as “a treaty,” which can only be between sovereign countries.
Patricio P. Diaz comments on MOA-AD
July 26: Why postpone the ARMM election?
july 30:Is President Arroyo serious?
Aug 03:Is election the stumbling block?
Aug 04:ARMM: The stumbling block
Aug 12: More roadblocks: Plebiscite
Cotabato Archbishop discusses MOA-AD in 5 parts
Cotabato Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, has written a five-part series on the Memorandum of Agrement on Ancestral Domain.
1st of 5 parts : What is the MOA-AD in the MILF-GRP Peace Process?
2nd of 5 parts: Can the MOA-AD bring lasting peace?
3rd of 5 parts: Some questions about the MOA
4th of 5 parts: Will people accept the MOA-AD?
Last of 5 parts: The MOA-AD: A Memorandum of Intent?
Right to Self Determination: The viability of a Peace Agreement between the GRP and MILF
Public Forum on the Peace Agreement between Government and the MILF
Malcolm Hall, UP Diliman
20 August 20081:00-6:00 PM
PROGRAM
1:00-1:30 PM Registration
1:30-2:30 Opening Program
– Welcome Remarks by: Atty. Marvic Leonen
Dean,College of Law
– Rationale of the forum by: Mr. Augusto Miclat Jr.
Executive Director, IID
2:30 Introduction of the Panel Read more…
GRP-MILF issue primer on peace process
October 2006 story
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/13 Oct 2006) — Drowned out by reports on the bombings in Tacurong, Makilala and Cotabato City early this week is a new development in the peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF): the distribution of a seven-question primer on the peace process they jointly produced.
The primer was distributed at the All-Mindanao Leaders’ Consultation convened by the Bishops-Ulama Conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel last Tuesday.
GRP-MILF Peace Process 