Azzimuddie 'alive', family disowns 'disengagement'

Although he has lost more followers to continued assaults by Malaysian security forces, Azzimuddie Kiram, who led more than 200 people to Sabah in a bid to press the Sulu sultanate’s claim to the territory, remains “alive and well,” his family said today.
 
At the same time, members of the Kiram family denied considering "disengagement", as announced yesterday by Philippine Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II after talks with sultan Bantilan Esmail Kiram II, brother of Sulu sultan Jamalul Kiram III.
 
Earlier, the sultanate’s spokesman, Abraham Idjirani, said although Jamalul and Azzimuddie had authorised the dialogue between Esmail and Roxas, it was the interior secretary who unilaterally stated "disengagement" and that this notion had not been discussed by the family.
 
Briefing media in her home in Maharlika Village in Taguig City today, Pangyan Fatima Celia Kiram (left), Jamalul III’s wife, said the family had never considered disengagement, adding they were aware that the term was likely to be perceived as willingness on the part of Azzimuddie, the crown prince, and his group to surrender.
 
Fatima said any decision regarding the disposition of the group in Sabah “will come from sultan Jamalul and other family members, including Bantilan (Esmail), and those who lost loved ones.

"We do not want to make it appear this is our decision alone because we want a collective decision."

In a separate interview, the Sulu sultan’s daughter, princess Jacel Kiram, said her uncle Azzimuddie has so far confirmed losing 23 members of his group since the hostilities broke out on March 1.

'The struggle goes on'
 
During that first skirmish, Azzimuddie confirmed losing 10 dead and four wounded, with 10 others captured.
 
Jacel said they have no idea about the fate of the 10 captured, whom she called “hostages,” since Malaysia has not offered “proof of life”.
 
She and Idjirani (right) also admitted that Azzimuddie did not know whether his followers could have suffered even more casualties, including former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander Haji Musa, who Malaysia says has been killed, because they are only “70 percent” regrouped.
 
"That’s what I asked him. I said, ‘How is Haji Musa?’ He said, ‘Haji Musa hasn’t joined up with us yet.’ Whether dead or not, it is not known," Idjirani said, recounting his phone conversation with Azzimuddie around 2am today.
 
Neither could Idjirani confirm the arrest of a close relative of the Sulu sultan, as reported by Malaysian media.
 
Meanwhile, another brother of Jamalul III, Abdilnasser, said he had talked to Esmail’s son, Abu Bakar, who is in Sabah and is in touch with Azzimuddie, and was told that the crown prince’s stand was, "the struggle goes on".
 
Abdilnasser said his nephew, in their 7am phone conversation, relayed that Azzimuddie had said: "While you are negotiating there, we remain under fire, the fighting goes on."

- InterAksyon