Philippines

Muslim rebels say peace talks off

Article published on the 2008-07-26 Latest update 2008-07-26 14:13 TU

Marines patrol the south Philippines
(Photo: S Farcis/RFI)

Islamic separatist guerrillas active in the southern Philippines say that peace talks with the government are off and have accused Manila of trying to go back on agreement that has already been made. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) cancelled a meeting in Malaysia which should have prepared for the resumption of formal talks on 5 August.

In Kuala Lumpur, where the preliminary talks were taking place, chief MILF negotiator Mohaqel Iqbal said that "the talks collapsed because the government was undoing settled issues on ancestral domain".

The group claims that it had already reached an agreement on the question, which decides which areas of the southern Mindanao island would be granted self-rule by the mainly-Muslim population which the MILF refers to as the Bangsa Moro people.

"The homeland of Bangsa Moro people should have been acknowledged and recognised by the government, wherein the territory, the resources and the components should have been part of this agreement," MILF spokespserson Eid Kabalu told RFI.    

A deal on the question was apparently reached a week ago and Kabalu says that it should have been signed at the August talks.

The guerrillas also say that the government is trying to push back a referendum on autonomy, which they want to be held within a year of the signing of an agreement on ancestral domain.

In a statement President Gloria Arroyo's representative Jesus Dureza admitted that there are "some differences" but said that the peace process is a "continuing effort".

"I am sure, however, that all the parties involved in the talks will work for ways to hurdle the difficulties and move the process forward," he added.

The 12,000-strong MILF declared a ceasefire in 2003 but peace talks have stalled for months over how much authority the rebels would have in the south.