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| Southeast Asia |
| Misuari to Tour Muslim Areas for Peace |
| 2008-04-29 |
| Freed former Moro National Liberation Front chief Nur Misuari will begin touring Muslim communities in the Philippines to campaign for peace, as his supporters in Sulu province began preparing a big welcome party for Misuari, who is accused of rebellion after his forces attacked a major military base in Jolo town in 2001 in an effort to stop the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, of which he was governor. “We are waiting for our one and only leader and we will give him a big welcome in Sulu,” said Abdul Sahalul, one of Misuari’s loyal backers. Misuari was granted a P50,000 bail by a court last week after spending more than five years under house arrest in Manila. He said he would not run for governor again in the autonomous region, whose system he branded as “dirty” and ran by Malacañang. “I don’t want to be part of a system which is dirty,” said Misuari, who also ran as governor in Sulu province twice and but lost. Misuari maintained the ARMM was created as part of a peace deal between the MNLF with Manila in September 1996. Zaldy Ampatuan, a former town mayor in Maguindanao province, is the current governor of the Muslim autonomous region after he won against Parouk Hussin. Hussin, a senior MNLF leader, was one of those that made up the so-called Council of 15 that deposed Misuari as chairman of the organization that was once the largest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines. Ampatuan, as governor of the Muslim autonomous region, has introduced reforms and fought corruption in government. He also prioritized development projects in areas where there are MNLF communities in support to the peace agreement. Just this month, the MNLF Central Committee named Muslimin Sema, the group’s secretary-general, as its new chairman, but Misuari does not recognize Sema as the legitimate MNLF head. Misuari has been criticized for his refusal to abide by the MNLF decision that catapulted Sema to power. Sema, who originally belonged to the Council of 15, said Misuari should stop bickering and work for peace and unity in the southern Philippines. |
| Posted by:Fred |