News

May 19, 2006


Cotabato City- Envoys of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) met with Regional Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) yesterday as part of their field visit to Southern Philippines.

The delegation, composed of representatives from the OIC Secretary General and diplomats of OIC's Committee of the Eight, will go around to identified areas in Mindanao to assess the implementation of the 1996 GRP-MNLF Final Peace Agreement.

Among them were Libyan Ambassador Salem Adam, Saudi Ambassador Mohammed Ameen Mohammed Wali, Indonesian Ambassador Irzan Tandjung, Malaysian Charge d' Affaires Wan Jaafar Mahamud, Ambassador Muhammad Abui Quashem of Bangladesh and Ambassador Emaleen Abdul Rahman Teo of Brunei.

Head of mission Ambassador Sayed El-Masry, Adviser to the OIC Secretary General, said that their visit is intended to have a "true evaluation of the Peace Treaty of 1996". The group, he said, will meet with all concerned parties in the peace pact.

According to him the implementation of the peace pact has not been fully evaluated. "We would like to consider the obstacles impeding its full implementation and find ways to push through."

The Final Peace Agreement between the Philippine Government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was signed last September 2, 1996 under the auspices of the OIC. This year would mark the 10 th anniversary of the signing of the peace pact.

The mission will present its findings to the OIC Secretary General upon their return to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The group will likewise report their findings in the upcoming OIC Ministerial Meeting on June 19, 2006 in Azerbaijan.

Further, he divulged that the OIC has requested the Philippine Government and the MNLF to join them in a tripartite meeting in Jeddah this July to review the implementation of the peace agreement.

The delegations were briefed on the progress of the 5 priority agenda of the present ARMM administration and the status of key infrastructure projects and some foreign-funded programs in the region.

Ampatuan, the first non-MNLF governor of ARMM after the signing of the peace agreement, said that his administration fully supports the implementation of the provisions of the 1996 Peace Accord as well as the ongoing peace negotiations between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

However, he appealed to the national government and MILF as well as to the OIC to consult all stakeholders before signing any peace agreement.

He has also expressed gratitude on behalf of the Bangsamoro people to the OIC for its untiring support to the plight of Filipino Muslims- from brokering peace negotiations to providing assistance to important programs and projects. "We look forward for your continued support to the ARMM to alleviate the suffering of our people and finally establish peace and development in the area."

Ampatuan had earlier met with the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanuglo, at the OIC's headquarters in Jeddah. The two discussed ongoing development programs of the present ARMM administration and the commitment of ARMM leaders to the implementation of the provisions of the peace agreement. The governor likewise voiced his request concerning the peace negotiations between the national government and the MILF to Dr. Ihsanuglo.

The regional governor was among the official delegates of the Philippine Government in the recent state visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Saudi Arabia.( bpi-armm / May 19, 2006)