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Issue No. 26                        August 12-18,  2001                    Quezon City, Philippines







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GRP-MILF August 7, 2001 Joint Communique


The Peace Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) today signed a set of guidelines for the cessation of hostilities during the state visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Kuala Lumpur.

Under the guidelines, the parties have agreed to normalize the situation in the conflict areas in Mindanao and pave the way for the successful conduct of relief, rehabilitation and development programs.

The guidelines implement an Agreement for Peace entered into by the parties in Tripoli, Libya on June 22, 2001. These prohibit hostile and provocative acts, harboring of criminals and lawless elements and all other acts that endanger the safety and security of the people in Mindanao.

The guidelines not only silence the guns for the peace of mind of the people. These also prohibit all public pronouncements that will tend to undermine the sincerity or credibility of both parties in waging peace. Toward this end, the war of bullets and of words shall cease, and the parties shall follow the road to peace through earnest and principled negotiations. This will accord the Bangsamoro people permanent spaces for peace, self-reliance and development.

To prove the sincerity of both sides, the implementation of the ceasefire is open for all the people and the world to witness. Local monitoring teams shall include representatives of Local Government Units, Non-Governmental Organizations and the religious sector. Representatives of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), especially Malaysia, Libya and Indonesia, have been invited to observe and monitor the ceasefire as well as the implementation of all agreements.

In this spirit, the Panels express their appreciation and recognition of the noble efforts of H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, H.E. Prime Minister Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohammad and the Great Leader Col. Muammar Khaddafy of the Arab Socialist Libyan Jamahiriyah for advancing the cause of lasting peace, development and stability of the region.

The Panels agreed to hold their next round of talks within September 2001 to discuss the remaining agenda items on rehabilitation, development and ancestral domain.

August 7, 2001

Atty. Jesus G. Dureza Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim
Chairman, GRP Peace Panel Chairman, MILF Peace Panel

 


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