Nur Misuari's Rant Exposes Our Time Wasting And Misguided Bangsamoro Peace Initiatives

Duterte has done it again. In a short time he has reached out to the people who really matter in the Mindanao peace process. 

To make peace, you negotiate with your enemies, not with your friends.   

The "enemy" here is Nur Misuari who heads the M N LF.  

The Abu Sayyaf are also enemies of the Philippines and perhaps the M I LF as well.

Here is a well written report by AFP that appeared in The Star 

This is the guy, 77 year old Nur Muhammad Misuari, a Moro, a scholar, founder of  MNLF in  1972, rebel leader, military commander, a close friend of Anwar Ibrahim.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2016/11/03/philippine-muslim-rebel-leader-meets-duterte/

Philippine Muslim rebel leader meets Duterte
influential leader of insurgency voiced support for peace efforts 

after rebellion charges against him suspended  

held surprise meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte

at Malacanang presidential palace

flown on govt plane > 900 km from jungle stronghold

I came here to thank him for restoring my freedom” Misuari said.
”Should he need our cooperation for peace, you can count on us.”Duterte personally ordered rebellion charges against Misuari “lifted

However arrest warrant only “suspended” for six months.

Misuari, 77, in hiding since battle in Zamboanga in 2013

led 3-week battle against military that claimed 200 lives.

Benigno Aquino filed rebellion charges against Misuari

he remained on Jolo under protection of followers.

Misuari founded MNLF in 1972 to wage guerrilla war 

for separate Islamic state in Mindanao.

conflict claimed > 120,000 lives

Mindanao remains nation’s poorest region.
 

signed peace in 1996 for Muslim autonomous area 

he became governor.

However Moro Islamic Liberation Front, splinter organisation 

with > 10,000 armed followers, continued rebellion. 

MILF also began negotiating for peace.

Misuari orchestrated 2013 Zamboanga attack

because MNLF sidelined by Aquino.

Duterte aiming to forge final peace with both groups

not announced plans how he would do that or settle rivalries.

unclear how many armed followers Misuari still has

how much control he continues to hold over MNLF

Misuari insisted he remained a powerful force

that thousands of men his followers.

My comments : Misuari appeared with Duterte in Malacanang Palace - a very great honour for a 77 year old rebel leader.  Duterte even gave Misuari the presidential podium to make a statement. And what did Misuari say? 

He accused Malaysia of "orchestrating"  the infamous kidnapping of tourists on Sipadan island in 2000.  Here is the news :

http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/11/03/16/misuari-malaysia-to-blame-for-sipadan-kidnappings

Misuari: Malaysia to blame for Sipadan kidnappings

Nur Misuari (left) with Duterte's adviser Jesus Dureza at airport in Jolo

Misuari claimed M'sia to blame for kidnappings in Sipadan in 2000

I will drag their leaders to Int'nl Criminal Court, Misuari said in Malacañang

I have evidence, they hire my own people, even in Sipadan, they offered millions


kidnapping of 21 from Sipadan attributed to Abu Sayyaf

Misuari made accusation ahead of Duterte’s trip to Malaysia 

Speaking from President's podium, Misuari assured support for peace process

• Misuari accused Benigno Aquino of ignoring peace deal by Pres Ramos in 1996 
• in favor of MILF, splinter group of MNLF
• MILF peace deal failed when Congress rejected Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)
• Congress rejected after 44 police killed by MILF in Maguindanao, Jan 2015
• troops targeted M'sian terrorrist Zulkifli Hir who was hiding in MILF areas

My comments :  Folks these comments and this news above is very damaging to Malaysia and casts serious doubt on Malaysia's efforts at the "Bangsamoro Peace Accords".  

It appears more like serious bungling by people who dont know what they are doing for the best interests of peace between the Moros and the Philippines. 

Or maybe they do know what they are doing and what they want to do but for their own best interests.  What would those interests be?



The Malaysian approach has been to deal with the MILF or Moro Islamic Liberation Front.    

Our guys decided to leave out Nur Misuari's MNLF or Moro National Liberation Front.   

Here is the Wikipedia :

On 15 October 2012, preliminary peace agreement signed in Malacañang Palace between Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Govt of Philippines.  Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which called for autonomous political entity named Bangsamoro.

The signing came at the end of peace talks held in Kuala Lumpur from 2–6 October 2012. These talks were the last of 32 peace talks between the two parties, which spanned a period of nine years.


This approach included the Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL which sought to grant autonomy to parts of Mindanao.  

But no surprise, in February 2016 the Philippine Congress rejected the Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL.  End of  Bangsamoro Peace Process.  

Malulah Malaysia.  Buat kerja kosong.  

And why did the Philippines Congress reject the Bangsamoro Basic Law?  

One of the reasons was because the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and another splinter the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) massacred 44 Philippine Police commandos in Mindanao in January 2015 during a Police operation to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Hir aka Marwan.

This was the same MILF to whom Malaysia played host for those peace talks in October 2012. 

And Misuari's MNLF was left out of that Kuala Lumpur peace process and the Framework Agreement of October 2012.     

Four months later in February 2013 the "Suluk" people attacked Lahad Datu.  Is anyone surprised?

There has been no peace.  
There is still fighting in Mindanao. 
The kidnapping business has escalated.
We created ESSCOM, using hundreds of millions of Ringgit.  
All to no avail.

Obviously our efforts have failed. There does not seem to be a serious effort. 

Macam main-main saja. 

Worst of all people are still dying - in Mindanao, on Jolo, in Basilan, in our waters etc. Kidnap victims are beheaded. Things have actually gotten worse.  

Sabah and the Philippines have suffered hundreds of millions in lost business when ESSCOM had to shut down the east coast of Sabah, when travel was restricted (for security reasons).  

So jangan main-main. 


There are some really super dunggus in the Majlis Keselamatan Negara, the Research Wing of the PM's Department, the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other outfits who really do not know what they are doing in Mindanao.  If you dont know what to do, then dont get involved.

About three years back I heard that botak Tengku guy talking about the Bangsamoro Peace process.  I wasnt convinced at all.  

Here is some advice. I know some other Malaysian folks who are also involved in the Bangsamoro process - through their NGOs and such. 

They are taking the 'religious' approach, the 'Islamic' approach. 
The "kita bantu orang Islam" approach.

Some of these folks are looking forward towards an Islamic state in Mindanao. 

This is a huge mistake. Do not let religion, race, language etc cloud your vision and your judgement.  

The Moro suffer socio-economic and political issues. 

If at all, backward religious upbringing (fahaman agama yang totok dan kuno) may have led to the deterioration of the socio-economic and political status.  In other words the religion may have been part of the problem.  It is definitely not part of the solution.

Focus on economic opportunities, transportation, food, housing, health, modern education, security - these should be the priorities.      

President Duterte seems to be on the right track by negotiating with Misuari of the MNLF.

It is likely he will also open discussions with the MILF, Abu Sayyaf, BIFF and whoever else is necessary.  

You negotiate 'peace' with enemies. Not with friends. Or on behalf of friends.   

Duterte is coming to Kuala Lumpur next week.  Duterte said that the 44 Philippine Police commandos died in Maguindanao because of corruption.