MILF: Gov't loses OIC observer bid anew

For the third time, international Muslim group Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) rejected the Philippine government's bid for observer status, GMANews.TV learned Tuesday. An article in the website of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) stated that the 57-member countries of the OIC opted to instead push for the immediate release of former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari. Misuari, also erstwhile head of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), is under hospital arrest over charges of rebellion. The article quoted an OIC source as saying that the rejection of the Philippine government's bid for observer status was one of the resolutions adopted during the OIC's 33rd Session of Foreign Ministers in Baku, Azerbaijan last June 19 to 21. "This is the third time in as many attempts that the application for observer status was rejected by the 57-member states Pan-Islamic body ... The source said the bid was never discussed in the plenary session, where [Foreign Secretary Alberto] Romulo was allowed to speak," it added. Last May, the OIC sent a delegation to the Philippines to evaluate the status of the government's peace deal with the MNLF, its only recognized permanent member in the country. The Philippine government asked the OIC at that time to visit the country as a show of sincerity in puruing the observer status. The OIC this time agreed to a 12-point resolution on the "Question of the Muslim in Southern Philippines," highlighted by the decision to appeal for the release of Misuari. It also moved for the "reunification" of the MNLF and MILF with the help of the OIC secretary general and to push for the renewal of its support for the peace agreement forged between the Philippine government and the MNLF in 1996. There was also a resolution calling on the Philippine government and the MNLF to "preserve the gains of [the peace] agreement," noting that its implementation has been installed. A fifth resolution is to pay tribute to the OIC secretary general for sending a fact-finding mission to the Philippines and to commend its report. Sixth is a call for a tripartite meeting among the OIC, MNLF and Philippine government to review the implementation of the peace agreement and determine modalities for a new joint monitoring committee. The article said the tripartite meeting slated originally for July has been reset to November this year and the MILF has been extended an invitation to join. The MILF's Luwaran website earlier quoted OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu as saying in his opening speech during the OIC meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan that the 1996 peace agreement between government and the MNLF failed to bring real peace to Mindanao. "With regard to the Philippines, 10 years have elapsed since the final peace agreement was signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front in 1996," he said. "Regrettably, this peace agreement did not bring real peace. Disagreement on the interpretations of some provisions of the agreement led to the resumption of hostilities ... The OIC being a full-fledge party to the peace process was forced to act to contain the conflict, and save the peace process," he added.-GMANews.TV