Repositioning not because of ultimatum

August 9, 2008
Rasid T. Ladiasan, Correspondent
 
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said the repositioning of its forces from Aleosan, Cotabato starting yesterday was not prompted by the 24-hour ultimatum given by the government.

Toks Ebrahim, Chairman of the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), explained that return of the MILF forces to their barracks was in compliance to the Joint Resolution signed by the government and MILF CCCH and brokered by the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) last August 1, 2008.

 

Under the Joint Resolution, which is intended to bring back normalcy in Aleosan, paragraph C says “That the repositioning of warring forces (those who are not local to the area) be facilitated in order to preclude repetition of armed clashes and hostile acts that undermine the Ceasefire Agreement and the peace process.

 

Last Thursday, the government issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the MILF to pull out its forces from Aleosan, particularly directed to those who are not native or residents of the place, otherwise the government will take police action against these MILF forces. 

 

The ultimatum was until 10am yesterday. But the MILF, firm to its position not to reposition just because of the standing ultimatum, was never bothered of the ultimatum.

 

Involved MILF commanders in the situation appealed to check on the land conflict issue in Aleosan and in many areas of Cotabato province. They also hit the government for the non-signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA – AD).

 

At around 4:30pm, the forces of the MILF from Dualing and Mampurok of Aleosan started to march out from their fortified defensive positions toward Barangay Dungguan of Aleosan in compliance of the repositioning enforced by the Joint GRP – MILF CCCH and IMT pursuant to the Joint Resolution.

 

The repositioning of MILF forces from some identified areas will be facilitated by the GRP – MILF CCCH and gradually because it cannot be completed in one day.

 

Since July 1, 2008, MILF forces and government forces -military, CAFGUs and Civilian Volunteers Organizations of the province – were entangled in sporadic clashes in some villages of Aleosan.

 

Big troop reinforcements from other areas for both sides came in to the area. These augmentations troops for both the government and MILF forces which are not native to the area are to return to their respective places of origin.

 

The government forces have yet to reposition their troops but it is expected to follow suit with the ongoing gradual repositioning of the MILF forces.

 

Other components of the Joint Resolution are as follows:

 

A. That both the warring forces must immediately cease and desist from firing each other and strictly adhere to the Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities signed in Cagayan de Oro City on July 18, 1997, particularly and especially on the movements and activities of respective forces.

 

B.That a JOINT MONITORING and ASSISTANCE TEAM (JMAT) composed of representatives from GRP CCCH, MILF CCCH, IMT and Bantay Ceasefire be established immediately in a strategic area, mutually agreed upon, in Aleosan to maintain and monitor the ongoing Ceasefire Agreement; and that to strengthen the existing JMAT-Rangeban in Midsayap in order to prevent spillover of the conflict.

 

C. That the repositioning of warring forces be facilitated in order to preclude repetition of armed clashes and hostile acts that undermine the Ceasefire Agreement and the peace process.

 

D. That a Fact-Finding Committee to be composed of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), GRP CCCH, MILF CCCH and Bantay Ceasefire be created in order to verify the proximate cause of the armed clashes and come up with a viable solution / recommendations leading to the normalization of the situation.

 

E. That the return of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) must be facilitated through concerted efforts of duly constituted and concerned entities.

 

F. That relief and rehabilitation programs must be given priority for the affected areas / communities / families / individuals.

 

G.That peace advocacy, dialogue and reconciliatory programs must be undertaken particularly in the municipalities of Aleosan and Midsayap, both of Cotabato Province.

 

H. That advocacy and engagements, as far as practicable, with the concerned local government units must be initiated to ensure their support for the implementation of this resolution.