Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-skm99 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T04:30:35.294Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The GRP-MILF Peace Talks: Quo Vadis?

from THE PHILIPPINES

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2015

By
Rizal G. Buendia
Rizal G. Buendia
Affiliation:
De La Salle University-Manila
Get access

Summary

Introduction and Background

The conclusion of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) between the government of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) did not terminate the Muslim secessionist movement in the island of Mindanao and Sulu archipelago, in southern Philippines. Nur Misuari's (founder and chairman of the MNLF) assumption as regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and as chairman of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD) for five years (1996–2001) has not brought about the promised peace and development in Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan.

The ignominious failure of Misuari to effectively wield governmental powers to attain Muslims' quest for lasting peace and sustained development led to his ouster not only as ARMM governor and SPCPD chairman but also as MNLF chairman. Misuari's expulsion from government was followed by his incarceration and is currently facing trial for charges of sedition and corruption.

The MNLF, the revolutionary organization that Misuari led for thirty years both in war and peace, is now under a new leadership. Led by the “Council of 15”, it “retired” Misuari and rendered him powerless by euphemistically naming him as “Chairman Emeritus”. Through a resolution it issued on 29 April 2001, Misuari was declared as “incompetent” to remain as MNLF's chairman. The Council later proclaimed itself as the legitimate Central Committee of the MNLF which was eventually recognized both by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Philippine government. Support for the new MNLF leadership was reiterated in the OIC 10th summit meeting held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on 15 October 2003, claiming it to be the sole “representative of Muslim community in the Philippines”.

Despite OIC's and the government's acknowledgement of MNLF and the ARMM as the Muslims' organizational expression and spokesperson in the Philippines, they nevertheless recognize that the Muslims' quest for political autonomy and self-governance has not been fully satisfied.

Type
Chapter
Information
Southeast Asian Affairs 2004 , pp. 205 - 222
Publisher: ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute
Print publication year: 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×