The previous Moro National Liberation Front commander believes that there is no reason for the group to feel slighted by the government’s blueprint of a framework peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Its says that their respective peace agreements with the state both contributes to securing the future of war torn in Mindanao.
Tupay Loong, the Sulu Representative who used to be with the MNLF also appealed to MNLF leader Nur Misuar to give the new framework agreement a chance. For the creation of the Bangsamoro, the latest agreement would pave way, a new autonomous region that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. He said that the framework agreement with the MILF should not be perceived as disregarding the 1996 peace deal with Misuari’s group, since the MILF pact would complement the MNLF peace settlement in the year 1996 and would fill in the gaps that it had not addressed. The 1996 deal had not resolved all of the problems in the Muslim Mindanao.l
Base on the Philippine Daily Inquirer the agreement of framework should not be perceived as setting aside the MNLF agreement. In the new deal, the concerns of the MILF that were not part of the MNLF agreement are what tackled. The importance of the MNLF’s 1996 peace deal would stand. There will be no framework agreement without the former agreement, so that framework agreement will add to what was already being done to improve the previous agreement. The ultimate goal is really for the welfare of the Filipino Muslims in the country.
The framework agreement was illegal and violated the year 1996 peace deal and the 1976 Tripoli Agreement said by Misuari. In the international Court of Justice and rejected offers to sit in the transition commission that would draft the basic law for the creation of the Bangsamoro, Misuari threatened to sue the government. Base in the government’s peace negotiators earlier stated that the MNLF was not being out in the peace talks with its rival group and that the government has been working with them to ensure an all inclusive peace and process. \
With the MILF, Loong does not think that there was any intention on the part of the government to brush off the deal with Misuari’s group when it struck a new agreement. He also stated, what the MILF is trying to advocate in the government is just to improve the system of governance and to expand the areas of autonomy. Misuari should let the new deal work to bring about the peace it promises who also chairs the House committee on Muslim Affairs
Loong stated that there is no basis for any group to disturb because the government’s intention is to really address peace and order problems in the Muslim community so that the Muslim region can also catch up with the developments in the other regions. He stated that most of the people in Muslim Mindanao have long been tired of strife and have a long wanted to live under peace, development and unity.
REFERENCE:
Ex-MNLF commander rallies support for PH-MILF peace deal