MALAYSIA FACING POLICY ‘BLOWBACK’?
The former head of a Philippine separatist group, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), has told Al Jazeera that despite support from Malaysia in the 1960s, some of his fighters have now turned against the Malaysian government.
According to Nur Misuari, the MNLF fighters have joined the Royal Army of Sulu, which has been fighting for control of Malaysia's eastern Sabah state.
Al Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan reports from the Philippine capital, Manila, on whether Malaysia's foreign policy in the 1960s has backfired.
MANILA REGARDS MNLF AS PARTNER
MANILA, Philippines - The government said it regards the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) as a “partner” in implementing the impending framework peace agreement with another Moro group.
“It is not true that the MNLF
had been sidelined in the peace process, we look at them as a partner
in implementing the government-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
framework peace agreement (FPA),” Marvic Leonen, the Aquino
administration lead peace negotiator in talks with the Bangsamoro said.
Leonen, in an interview aired by the ABS-CBN cable news channel, ANC in a programme hosted by Ted Failon, said the FPA covers not just the MILF, but the MNLF as well.
Earlier, MNLF chairman
emeritus Nur Misuari lambasted the government for sidetracking the
previous, 1996 Peace Agreement and proceeding with the talks with the
MILF without consulting them first. The accord has resulted in the
formation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Misuari(above photo) vowed to challenge the FPA while similarly warning of a possible renewed outbreak of hostilities.
But Leonen said dismissed the assertion that the MNLF had not been
consulted. He said the MNLF, including the Organisation of Islamic
Conference (OIC) and the government had been taking part the Tripartite Review of the MNLF-Government peace accord.
In that review process, it had been observed that several changes were necessary in the original agreement 1996 Peace Accord between the government and the Nur Misuari-led MNLF.
VISITORS GEOFLAGS SINCE AUGUST 26, 2009
