text & photo HADER GLANG
Dr. Astrid Tuminez, senior research associate of the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), tells newsmen that US and its allies on terror are still very worried on the recurring intelligence reports on the presence of terror groups in Mindanao.
A Philippine-born American peace expert has commended the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for sustaining the peace process, saying that there is real attempt to address the roots of the conflict in the southern Philippines.
A Philippine-born American peace expert has commended the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for sustaining the peace process, saying that there is real attempt to address the roots of the conflict in the southern Philippines.
Dr. Astrid Tuminez, senior research associate of the United States Institute for Peace, said the talk of ancestral domain is very important because it addresses the territory, control of economic resources and governance.
“The negotiations are slow and systematic and I commend this because there is no need to rush an agreement that may not really address the problem that has to be addressed,” she said.
Ms. Tuminez was one of the speakers on the topic “GRP-MILF Peace Accord:Impact To Business And Trade in ARMM” during the culminating day of the 5th ARMM Business Congress last Tuesday in Lamitan, Basilan Province.
About 300 businessmen and local government officials from provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and the City of Marawi participated in the two-day business congress, which was held at a tightly military guarded Claret High School.
During the meeting, a Declaration of Policy and Program of Action was issued by the ARMM Business Council (ABC) to be submitted to ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan.
The declaration commits to push the creation of an industry development for rubber, seaweeds, etc., that includes production, processing, packaging,marketing and financing; formulation and operationalization of the ARMM Halal Development Plan.
It also calls for the improvement of training facilities, setting of skills program, and development of actual needs of job market; and the speeding up by the Regional Ports Management Authority of the improvement of services and facilities.
According to Tuminez, she was impressed with the law institutions that have created the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) which are training people in the barrios applying Islamic rules and regulations as a foundation.
“I think they are for empowering local communities to monitor development initiatives so that people may feel they’re part of whatever problem happens after peace agreement is signed.”
Commending both the military and the MILF, she said there is a lot of momentum being generated from the three-year truce that is monitored by the International Monitoring Team (IMT) involving civil society groups.
“I am very interested in the fact that they are talking about giving Moros some control over economic resources,” she added.
The US committed $30 million in development assistance for Mindanao, conditioned on a peace agreement with the MILF, which has been blamed by Philippine military for sheltering Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants.
Tuminez debunked claims by certain quarters that the commitment was withdrawn and that it was intended for GRP-MILF post agreement development. She said the money was already given to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for education and infrastructure programs.
US government, she said, remains very supportive to the peace talks but continues to emphasize that it is very worried about intelligence reports that there are still JI elements or al Qaida elements being sheltered.
“This continues to be a concerned until US policy makers are convinced it is no longer happening. The United States as well as the Australia and other countries are not convinced that there are no JI or so-called terrorist elements in parts of Mindanao,” she said.
MILF leaders have time and again denied sheltering or helping JI elements, saying new intelligence reports are reharsh of unfounded claims in the past.
Presently, the peace negotiation mediated by Malaysian government has not yet-resumed after the last exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur early this year. (ZS)
MILF leaders have time and again denied sheltering or helping JI elements, saying new intelligence reports are reharsh of unfounded claims in the past.
Presently, the peace negotiation mediated by Malaysian government has not yet-resumed after the last exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur early this year. (ZS)
No comments:
Post a Comment