RP, MILF panels hopeful despite tough agenda

The Philippine Star 04/19/2005

The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) opened peace talks yesterday in Malaysia, with both sides saying they are hopeful of progress despite the tough agenda.

The three-day conference deals with ancestral domain, or the cultural rights and property of ethnic Muslim tribes and management of natural resources — one of the thorniest issues to be tackled by the two sides.

"This is the first of many meetings on the question of ancestral domain. These talks are still exploratory in nature," said a joint written statement by MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal and government chief negotiator Silvestre Afable.

"We are exploring each other’s positions. This is a very tough agenda but we are very hopeful of progress," said the statement released through the Malaysian hosts.

The MILF’s reference to its ancestral domain traditionally means the whole of Mindanao, once ruled by a succession of Islamic sultanates until they were subdued by western powers that conquered the country.

The mineral-rich island makes up a third of the mainly Catholic Philippines and is home to the country’s Muslim minority.

"They will discuss four elements," a spokesman for the Malaysian organizers said. "The first one is territorial aspects, second the concept of the domains, third the natural resources and fourth, governance.

"The meeting is technical in nature. Both sides are hopeful for progress in the meeting," the spokesman said.

Late yesterday, the Malaysian spokesman said the talks were held in a "cordial" environment, with delegates from both sides shaking hands and eating together. They each presented their positions before separating to discuss their responses.

The official said there could be further technical meetings after this one, before the next phase of a formal conference leading to the signing of a peace agreement.

The delegations, meeting at a hotel in Port Dickson — some 130 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur — have reportedly agreed to avoid commenting on the progress of the talks until a statement is issued at the end of the three-day conference.

Malacañang expressed confidence that the peace talks would be productive despite renewed fighting between government troops and MILF fighters in Maguindanao that left three rebels dead.