Let's proceed with the peace talks

We see no reason why the Moro Islamic Liberation Front felt being alluded to by the government's revelation that there is an insidious attempt on the part of the Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf to assassinate President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo amidst controversy over the ZTE-NBN deal. The intelligence info had specifically mentioned only the two terrorist groups and nowhere in the news stories that came out was the MILF mentioned. Even then it was surprising why MILF spokesmen orchestrated their own fray by coming out with denials that they are not plotting anything against the President or anything that would derail the peace negotiation. Their persistency of denial has become so obvious to the point that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales made a pot shot at it.

We however find consolation in the admission of the MILF that they cannot engage in anything drastic since they are negotiating peace with the government. At least this gives us the comfort that this secessionist front remains focused in pursuing peace talks even as it has reached a temporary stalemate as of the moment.

On the other hand it does not take intelligence work to judge that the JI and the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas are out to assassinate the President. We are certain that this has always been at the top of their agenda. The other peripheral targets are good but the big one is better. That is the way of these terror bands.

We just wish that even with all the hullabaloo the government and the MILF proceed with the peace negotiation. For the good of the Moro people, the lumads and the Christians in Mindanao there should at least be a modicum of a peace pact so that life and economic activity can go on without apprehension and hindrance. - MIRIAM DAHUNOG, miriamdahunog70@yahoo.com

The MILF shouldn't be too touchy

THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) raised issues on the declaration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stressing that her timetable is putting an end to armed rebellion stands at 2010. Depending where in the political spectrum you belong, the President's statement can be interpreted several ways.

The President was guest of the Local Peace and Security Assembly (LPSA) held in Tagum. She made sure she was present in that meeting because of the perceptible increase of New Peoples Army assaults on police operatives and soft civilian targets in Compostela Valley Province , Davao Oriental and even in Davao City. As commander-in-chief, she made sure that the declaration will come right from her mouth and heard by primary target which are the NPAs.

By questioning the motive and to infer that the deadline is likewise addressed to them, the MILF just bared that it too is not willing to sign a peace accord with the government until 2010 or who knows, beyond this decade.

If only to assuage the MILF, President Arroyo underlined the fact that the ongoing peace negotiation has resulted in confidence building and strong interfaith dialogue. As if these are not enough the fresh investment on infrastructure development in Mindanao is mostly allocated for conflict areas. These packages of assurances are however being looked at with strange suspicion.

Be that as if it may, at this point the government is committed to declare an expanded area in Mindanao as the ancestral domain of the Moro people. The MILF rejected the idea as they stuck with their agenda of an independent state and self-rule. Outside of the autonomy and the prospect that one day the constitution will be amended to pave the way for a federal state of what is now the autonomous region, we believe that the government will never agree to dismember the republic. - MENARDO WENCESLAO, mewenceslao@yahoo.com, Davao City