Yt Framework

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has submitted to Malaysia a proposal to move the peace talks forward, rebel officials said.

Negotiations hit a snag after the MILF declared there was nothing to talk about because the proposal submitted by the government peace panel in August reportedly had nothing in common with the rebel group’s own peace draft.

Von Al Haq, MILF spokesperson, said Wednesday their new proposal to break the standstill was already submitted to Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato’ Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed.

Malaysia is the third-party mediator in the GPH-MILF peace process.

“He [Malaysian facilitator] was at Camp Darapanan discreetly in a bid to find a common ground…to work out the date for the next round of talks,” Al Haq said in Filipino, referring to the sprawling MILF camp in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao.

The Malaysian facilitator also shuttled with the government’s peace panel for the resumption of amity talks, the rebel spokesperson added.

“The ball is now in the hands of the government for the resumption of formal peace negotiations in Kuala Lumpur,” Al Haq said.

He said the MILF’s “new proposal was not far from the previous proposal the Front’s peace panel had submitted to the government.” Al Haq did not elaborate.

Mohagher Iqbal, MILF peace panel chairman, confirmed in a separate phone interview a few days ago the Front’s proposal to move the peace process forward. Iqbal, however, declined to also detail their proposal.

The government peace panel submitted its proposal to the MILF peace panel during the 22nd GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks last August 22 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was rejected by the MILF peace panel.

Marvic Leonen, government chief peace negotiator, earlier described the state’s proposal as “three for one” solution: massive economic development; political settlement with the MILF through a new Organic Act; and cultural-historical acknowledgment and correction of errors in “historical narratives and … appreciation of different cultures borne out of the struggles of all Filipinos including those of Bangsamoro identity”.

Iqbal described the government’s proposal as “way below our expectation.” (PNA)