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| Southeast Asia |
| Malaysia Tightens Security After Philippine Crackdown on Rebels |
| 2003-03-14 |
| The Malaysian armed forces are conducting 24-hour patrols in waters bordering the Philippines to prevent any intrusion by Muslim rebels fleeing a government crackdown, local media reported Friday. Army spokesman Brigadier General Muhamad Yassin Yahya told the official Bernama News Agency that although there had been no trace of encroachment by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters so far, tight security measures were needed as a precaution. Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has sought Malaysia's help as a mediator to bring the MILF rebels back to the negotiating table and stop renewed violence. Arroyo's special envoy Roberto Romulo said Thursday after talks in Kuala Lumpur that Malaysia's Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had "reconfirmed Malaysia's committment to assist in the search for peace in the southern Philippines." I'm obviously missing something here. MILF wants to gnaw off a potentially rich corner of the Philippines to incorporate it into a new khalifate, and the government wants talks with them? Are they nuts? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |