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Jay Directo / AFP - Getty Images
President Benigno Aquino announced on Sunday that a deal had been reached with Muslim separatist rebels group Moro Islamic Liberation Front to end a decades-long insurgency that has left more than 150,000 people dead.
MANILA - The Philippine government and Muslim rebels have agreed a peace deal to end a 40-year conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people, President Benigno Aquino said on Sunday, paving the way for a political and economic revival of the country's troubled south.
The agreement sets in train a roadmap to create a new Bangsamoro autonomous region in Muslim-dominated areas of the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country before the end of Aquino's term in 2016. Bangsamoro refers to Muslim and non-Islamic minority people in the southern Philippines.
Expectations are high that after nearly 15 years of violence-interrupted talks, both the government and the country's largest Muslim rebel group will work side-by-side to realize the promises contained in the agreement, to be signed on October 15 in Manila and witnessed by Aquino and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The two sides reached the deal for the resource-rich region during talks in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
"This agreement creates a new political entity and it deserves a name that symbolizes and honors the struggles of our forebears in Mindanao and celebrates the history and character of that part of our nation. That name will be Bangsamoro," Aquino announced via a live broadcast from the presidential palace.
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"This framework agreement is about rising above our prejudices. It is about casting aside the distrust and myopia that has the plagued efforts of the past," said Aquino, surrounded by his cabinet ministers.
While obstacles still lie ahead, the deal signals a major breakthrough in trust between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists, who have long viewed Manila's motives in the talks with suspicion.
Stringer / Philippines / Reuters
Philippine soldiers patrol the town of Kauswagan in Lanao del Norte, southern Philippines, in August, 2008. The Philippine government and Muslim rebels have agreed a peace deal to end a 40-year conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people, President Benigno Aquino said on Sunday.
Zainuddin Malang, executive director of the Mindanao Human Rights Action Cente, a civil society group monitoring an existing truce in the region says the two sides must take extra caution in their next steps.
"This agreement is merely an opportunity to end the conflict. The actual end of the conflict can only come from its successful implementation. We can only hope this agreement won't suffer the fate of prior agreements," Malang said.
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"What is very important here is that we have a president who has so much political capital, backing the framework agreement, so the chances are higher to end the conflict."
New opportunities
The deal comes as the Philippines defies its reputation as an economic laggard with strong growth and a resurgence in investor interest.
The south's volatile and often violent politics could still hamper the plans. There is a risk that radical Islamic factions could split off from the MILF and continue fighting in a region that has a history of links with al Qaeda militants. Another threat comes from powerful clans who control some areas in the region and may fear a loss of political influence.
Click here for more stories from the Asia-Pacific region
After four decades of conflict, the MILF leaders are ageing and, analysts say, eager to see some fruit from the years of peace negotiations.
The leadership may also be motivated by the prospect of royalties from huge untapped deposits of oil, gas and mineral resources in rebel areas, part of an estimated total of $312 billion in mineral wealth in Mindanao. France's Total has partnered with Malaysia's Mitra Energy Ltd. to explore oil and gas fields in the Sulu Sea off Mindanao.
The deal will set up a 15-member Transition Commission, which has until 2015 to draft a law creating the new entity to replace the current autonomous region.
The new entity and its jurisdiction will be determined through a plebiscite after the passage of the organic law.
The Muslim area will gain more political and economic powers, including imposition of taxes to cut central government subsidies, a bigger share in revenues from natural resources and a more active role in internal security.
"This framework agreement paves the way for a final, enduring peace in Mindanao," Aquino said. "It brings all former secessionist groups into the fold; no longer does the Moro Islamic Liberation Front aspire for a separate state.
"This means that hands that once held rifles will be put to use tilling land, selling produce, manning work stations, and opening doorways of opportunity for other citizens."
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Leave a Comment:
As Muslims continue their march toward world domination.
And after we agree to stop killing in the name of Allah...I have a bridge I want to sell you..........
Anyone that belives this will end peacefully is a fool...and probably a dead one.
Since the birth of Islamic cult, you could never trust a word of the followers of Islamic cult. They never kept a deal/truce.
This is just a temporary fooling peace deal, which will be torn to pieces sooner or later.
Within less than half a decade the conflict will emerge again. Islam does not end at occupying small areas of land. It ends with global conquest and forcing itself down every living things throat.
Still, it's a breath of relief for the poor indigenous people who could definitely use it from the Islamist menace. I hope they make good use of it to prepare for the next wave.
Call me a fool, but not being so up to date on the Philippines and their home grown Islamic groups. I wanted to catch up on this current news and what this agreement meant for the people between the government and this group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists. So naturally with my eager thirst for knowledge I began my search for MILF on the web.
Having a wee bit of a slow recognition and connection between things I don't think I know and things I do already know. What a laugh I had at my search and foolish self. And an even bigger laugh at the thought of some poor misguided Muslim making a wrong internet connection thinking they have found a new and ever expanding bunch of homepages to their beloved Moro Islamic Liberation Front on the web.
Oh I can see the riots now. As the Muslims scream those Americans have yet again gone to far in picking on our faith with their silly little disgusting videos. That suddenly brings the web to a screeching halt from the rash of hits to view and a staggering rise in wanna be Muslim's. When all the world thinks they have finally found out what makes the Philippine Muslims so loyal to their faith and this 40-year old MILF group, better known as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Uh....yeah.....they really should change their name...I can see conflict rising from internet searches in their future. They will probably just tell us Mrs. Robinson has to find another name.
Seriously though, I will be positive here and say that there may exist a very small chance that these groups can live in peace together. The problem will be the first time that somebody does something offensive in the eyes of the muslims. They will literally turn that "crazy" switch on and be right back at their illogical, wrecklessly aimed mayham and it will escalate from there back into war. And most likely they will just kill whatever nonmuslims they can get their hands on instead of the people responsible for the actual offense anyway. Happens all the time in a sandy little hell hole we call the middle east.
In many places, Muslims could not win by swords/wars. They used their love and peace dance version, Sufism, to spread to new areas.
In a good number of places, Muslims have become heroin addicts with extreme levels of intolerance.
In Pakistan and Mali, same love and dance Sufi mosques are blown to pieces and sometimes, even the hospitals are bombed to kill the injured.
In Philippines, this truce will not be kept for long! Islamic religious Nazis will come back with more force.
In the Philippines the M in MILF is Muslim? Go figure.
Men who grow up to make a life killing and controlling other men do not take up farming or start businesses. Splinter groups and warlords will derail the peace process, and the MILF will not take positions against them, but will instead lose membership as their fighters join the still-militant factions. Faced with the loss of political power and respect, the MILF will make ever-more radical demands of the government as a way to compensate. And behind it all? Greed for money. Lots of money.
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
See this sentence from the article:
After four decades of conflict, the MILF leaders are ageing and, analysts say, eager to see some fruit from the years of peace negotiations.
As people get older they start looking back at their lives, at what they've accomplished, what they've done and how they're going to enjoy their 'twilight years'. It's the same the world over, no matter who you are, what color you are, or what you call your God. The desire to accumulate wealth and to leave a peaceful country with economic stability behind for their children and grandchildren looks like it could well have been a motivating factor in this decision.
As it has not happened YET, we cannot say for sure that it WILL happen. If the group really wants peace, prosperity and input and output from the economic processes, they will repel the al-Quaeda linked militants knowing that God is going to punish those militants. Their own Qu'ran says:
The Arabs of the desert are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy, and most apt not to know the ordinances of the Revelation which Allah has sent down to His Messenger. And Allah is All-Kowing, All-Wise. (Qu'ran 11:97)
And among the Arabs of the desert are those who regard that which they spend for God as a fine and they wait for evil calamities to befall you. On themselves shall fall an evil calamity. (Qu'ran 11:98)
And if that is the impetus behind the peace accord, then the government can use it as an incentive to keep the peace. IF the newly-created Bangsamoro want more money via unreasonable demands, then government can withhold it.
Honestly, I think the fighting will likely stop. These people have been fighting a long time--40 years--and at a certain point people get tired of it. There may be a few splinter groups who may want to continue and who don't agree with the Bangsamoro, but I think the majority of those will be the younger, brainwashed generation from the 'desert Arabs' and the elders will either keep them in line of expel them. Remember that the Phillipines still have rules about caning and flogging those who violate rules and laws; I think a few of those displays may (regrettably) be necessary to end the factional inrest, but I do think the region will settle eventually.
Nice failed attempt again,
Sling a bunch of manure emotive non factual opinions all over Newsvine's "Get Smarter Here".
I told all of you a very long time ago about the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, including their previous History as the Moro Pirates (aka Sulus). And the current role of US SOCPAC (aka PACSOC).
Really, try since the 1840s, as the Moro Pirates. And of course most of you don't know why the .45 caliber cartridge was invented. Or even about the Philippine American War.
Most of you would not know the difference between a balut and a lumpia. And will start saying that I don't know about this from experience as a while back having to deal with this, Redacted and somethings with Indonesia while on TDA to US Pacific Command.
Amanda-2017567,
If you want to be a Regional Expert or sound authoritative, at least do the basic research. The best would be living there with the locals for at least a year.
I'm in Mindanao several times a year, often for months at a time. While I'm very impressed with Aquino's statesmanship and genuine interest in improving the life of the people in Mindanao and growing the region's economy, with much of it benefitting the locals.... I must agree that what you say is likely to happen. The only point I think needs to be made is that the MILF leaders now realize what the phrase "Be careful what you wish for" means. If truly separate they get nothing from the central government....including national defense. China's recent and ongoing behavior in the West Philippine Sea/East China Sea has driven the MILF back into the fold.
Mindanao is a very poor non industrialized area of the Philippines but with much resources. I wonder if by signing a treaty these Terrorists will fall into a life of luxury and reward, if they are offered what the peaceful inhabitants of Mindanao have have they won't be happy...
I like lumpia.
I wouln`t try balut.
Anybody see a "uniqueness" in the acronym for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front? Maybe islam is becoming more tolerant? Please notice this is sarcastic humor!
There has been too much confrontation and strife in the region already, too much time and human life and resources lost. I hope that this indeed does result in peace, and that progress can indeed be made toward a unified country than secessionists parties.
From the article:
There is a risk that radical Islamic factions could split off from the MILF and continue fighting in a region that has a history of links with al Qaeda militants.
If the MILF group is sincere about peace, then they'll take steps to repel those who don't agree with their decision to make this agreement.
Great Call Maddy indabuff
Heavens to Betsy, if they are MILFs, I am sure every red blooded teenager will have the "hots" for them. I believe it will be a surprise epiphany for both the teens and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front!
Amanda
specially when the real Islamic terrorists that the MILF they thought they were in turns out to be a sex oriented outfit
(laughing) I saw the acronym too and I said 'whoa'. But you also have to put this in context; these guys have been around for four decades and the designation 'milf' only rose within the last couple of decades. Prior to that, sex was rarely mentioned, it was a 'taboo' topic--even the Bible never says the word 'sex', it refers to 'lying down with' or 'uncovering the nakedness of' another person. I never had 'The Talk' with my parents, and they never signed permission slips for me to take sex ed from school.
All religions and belief systems are sex-oriented outfits despite their unwillingness to be honest about it. Sex, procreation and the biological imperative are at the root of many many many of the world's religions. The early Pagan practitioners worshipped the Goddess for her fertility; the polytheistic Greco-Roman pantheon of deities had lots and lots and LOTS of sex with each other and with humans (Hercules was the son of Zeus, if I remember my mythology correctly) a lot of the eastern religions are focused on overcoming one's sexual urges and transcending basic physical desires. The Jews/Christians say their priests and religious elders are supposed to be above such earthly matters, but they sure set a lot of rules about who you can do it with, what you can do it with, and how you can do it with a partner once you find one that conforms to the expectations of the prior two rules.
Just look at the issues facing the Church today. What's behind the schism with the nuns? Homosexuality, birth control and abortion--aka SEX. What has been their major controversy lately? Priestly indiscretions and the institution-wide covering-up of said indiscretions--SEX.
Sex is a major focal point of ALL religions.
Sex isn't going to be talked about in a literary work like the Bible the same way it would be talked about colloquially. Literature tries to find different ways to say things. It's much more beautiful - from a literary standpoint - to say "He uncovered the nakeness" than to say "He shoved his hoo-hoo dilly up in her love vagina and ejaculated"
...see the difference?
With that said, I would agree that two thouans years of Christianity has absolutely decimated healthy sexual impulses in most people. A century of leftism tacked on to that hasn't exactly helped either. One need only get a glimpse of Oprah or The View and the cries for "real beauty lies within" "be your own kind of beautiful" and guilt tripping people for not seeing the "inner beauty" of a hepher to realize that things haven't changed all that much in the last two millenium...we're still ashamed to say that physical beauty is one of the best things in life!!!
What a shame...
First, there was the MNLF, Moro National Liberation Front; then the MILF, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, there are still splinter groups there that are dubbed terrorist organizations like the Abu Sayyaf, or MILF's Lost Commands or whatever they call it. Although they're Muslims, these groups don't get along that well, they fight for authority and those left without one will "rebel" against the government.
There is already the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, comprised of the regions where Muslims are the majority of its populace, under the Philippine Government- MNLF agreement, are they going split ARMM into 2 parts, i.e southern and northern parts? I don't think the regions populated by vastly Christians in Northern Mindanao would like to be part of a new region under the MILF..
This article does not indicate which part of Mindanao will comprise the autonomous region. While there is a large Muslim population in Mindanao, majority of the residents are Christians and only some provinces are primarily Muslim regions. I also find it strange that Malaysia is involved in these talks and now getting ready to explore for oil in the region. If the Muslims want their own region, ship them off to Malaysia then. All these supposedly "for peace" talks will end with the Philippine government losing control of a mineral rich region.
The southern Philipines. See this clip from the article:
The agreement sets in train a roadmap to create a new Bangsamoro autonomous region in Muslim-dominated areas of the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country before the end of Aquino's term in 2016.
If two factions hold sway in the same country, take peace talks out of that country and host it in a neutral neighborhing country. Mitra Energy is not owned by the Malaysian government, it is a private multi-national company, and they are exploring in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand as well--something the writer of the article wasn't clear about/did not specify. And you forget that France will be partnering with them too:
France's Total has partnered with Malaysia's Mitra Energy Ltd. to explore oil and gas fields in the Sulu Sea off Mindanao.
Total, by the way, is a French-government-owned entity.
But they are Filipino citizens. And you forget this new region is comprised of both Muslim and non-Muslim citizens:
Bangsamoro refers to Muslim and non-Islamic minority people in the southern Philippines.
The two largest belief systems in that country are Christian and Muslim, but there are other practitioners as well; Hindu, Buddhist, etc. who would also comprise that 'non-Muslim minority' who maybe aren't comfortable living in a majority Roman Catholic area (Roman Catholics are, as history has shown us, generally not an inclusive, tolerant bunch, though they have evolved a lot.)
However, that's not a reason for a Republic-type government to strip citizenship from and expatriate those who don't agree with the majority religion--like in Germany in the early part of the last century, when the German government decided to ship the Jews to their own region (the concentration camps were originally called 'deportation camps', if you remember) but as Germany grew to occupy most of Eastern Europe there was nowhere to send them so the Final Solution was to simply kill them. For a republic like the Philipines to do so would be a step in the direction of dictatorship.
Maybe, maybe not. They have until 2016 to come up with a charter and delineate what responsibilities are going to be. Also, while this peace agreement creates an 'autonomous region' responsible for its own 'internal security', you have to remember that Aquino is the 'president' of the country which is a republic, like ours.
What this basically does is create a separate state called Bangsamoro for those who are Muslim and of a non-Islamic minority belief system. They will be responsible for their own governance and security, but will still have to conform to the country's laws and rules, and while they own the mineral-rich land, they don't have the ablity to mine it themselves or the autonomy to sign trade agreements with a foreign power. So they come to the table with land and resources, the government comes to the table with money and jobs from trade agreements with France and Mitra Energy. Since each side wants what the other side has, they will come to an agreement.
Try again.
If you want to be a Regional Expert or sound authoritative, at least do the basic research. The best would be living there with the locals for at least a year.
There is a significant difference between the Southwestern Philipines and the Southeastern Philipines.
Let's see, Jake:
Americas, including superpower the USA - predominantly Christian.
Europe, including lesser powers Russia, UK, France, Germany - predominantly Christian.
Australia & New Zealand - predominantly Christian.
Much of Asia, including China, India, Japan and the Russian Far East - predominantly Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, Shinto, or Christian.
Sub-Saharan Africa - predominantly Christian or Animistic.
To sum up, this basically leaves Muslims with North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia, much of it impoverished regions in political turmoil.
I'm sorry Jake, but I don't see how Muslims could be able to dominate the world.
Limited in scope of your knowledge of current events, PeterB-778417.
OK, david,
Instead of trying to belittle my knowledge of current events, maybe you could enlighten us how socially, economically, politically and militarily backward countries are going to dominate the world?
First they would have to embrace modernity, and free half of their populations.
The Philippines was Muslin long before it was Christian. The Muslims forced their religion on the Filipinos long before the Christians forced their religion on the Filipinos.
Unfortunate acronym, huh? Especially with MILF in Bangsmesomemore. Sounds like a porno movie title. On second thought, MILF will be fighting among themselves in short order. That's a movie I want to see...MILF Cat Fight.
This is the potential future of the United States and many other countries. The establishment of semi-autonomous regions will be the en vogue political solution for the next hundred years. Scotland is voting for is status, as did Quebec. The United States faces the same issue sometime around 2030-2040 when Hispanic populations in the Southwest reaches greater than 50%, albeit the Hispanic split from the rest of the US will be peaceful and less dramatic, but none the less semi-autonomous.
Get use to it...its the future and you'll probably like it.
Redacted
I'll bet the non-muslims in Mindinao are thinking they have been abandoned by the goverment in Manila. The Hucs ride again.
The main reason the MILF are doing this? To gain money from their share of the oil and mineral reserves. What are they going to do with the money? They will share it with the rest of the muslim world so they can afford new weapons and learn bomb construction to intimidate and murder the innocent. I cannot believe the government is so blind that they do not see this. Hey maybe they can even afford to buy a nuclear weapon on the black market now. The last time I read about it, Russia has over 100 missing nuclear warheads. The evil virus known as islam spreads. Wake up America! Time to disinfect Dearborn Michigan and San Diego California before it's too late.
They said MILF, hehehehe.
Why is it that radical Islamist 'liberation' movements kill a lot of the people they are trying to 'save' from supposedly otherwise 'dangerous religious beliefs'? I give this cease fore/truce about a week before the Muslims' thirst for blood surfaces and the fighting begins again. Mostly, the Muslims just use a lull in the action to rearm, train and resupply with ammunition and bomb making supplies.
Militant Islamists have become a global plague. All around the world, countries are having the same problems with these religious barbarians. These devout men of Islam all want the same thing: to create a perverse society of subjugating women, loping off heads, and smothering civil freedoms. Islamic fundamentalists should never be given concessions. People need to stop making excuses for these death dealers. These people are throws backs from the dark ages.
This Landmark Deal is going to help in a way Colombian's President Juan Manuel Santos to try to make the same deal with the FARC (revolutionary Army Forces of Colombia) rebels that for more than 40 years have been combating government forces with not win in either side but just a pile of corpses.
this prospect for peace is nothing that a few suicide bombers can't fix.
They threatened to bring Pershing back!
http://www.eligr.com/images/terrorist.jpg
And this is exactly what they are working for here in America. They don't want just to live and peace and be Americans, they want there own state that is ruled by Muslims and then thier own country in our country.
They will always be Muslims first and then, maybe Americans. They have no loyalty to this country or any other. If they did, they would have assimilated into the Philippians and they would consider themselves to be part of that country.
Give me what I want or else. Peaceful is the last word anyone should use to describe these people.
The leaders of the Philippians are making a big, big mistake. They will regert this to thier last breath.
With the help of a large country the Philippines could have booted these rebels out of their country a decade ago.I guess the U.S. doesn't need oil or other goods from that country.
I hope for the Filipino people this will result in peace and prosperity for the country. I have been to Manila on business and have met many Filipino's and they are truly wonderful people. God bless them always.
What ever happened to the Huks? When I was there, these were the bad guys. Of course, the Philippines are by nature, a vast expanse of islands huddled in the blue Pacific. I was in the area south of Manila @ Cubi Pt. and Subic Bay. It must be very difficult to govern such separated territories, each with its own distinct religious following, ethnicity, economics, and political beliefs. I hope they can resolve their differences and live in peace. It is a very beautiful island nation. I do however, have my druthers about the intentions of the MILF movement and the Muslim peace effort as it were. I try to remain open-minded, but everything I see or hear seems to indicate that the assumed and/or intended peaceful aspect of the Muslim religion has been replaced by basic violence and hatred around the world.
End of the conflict.....
I'll bet that the only reason the government is willing to deal is due to the "resource-rich region" Treatment of the minoriities will still be the same even if a so-called deal is finalized.
LOL the pope must be happy about this ... as long as he get the tariffs from his roman catholic churches LOL