MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal. AP FILE PHOTO
KUALA LUMPUR鈥擳he peace panels on Saturday announced that the ceremonial decommissioning of forces and firearms of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) would take place in February.
The decommissioning or disarmament of the MILF is considered the most tangible proof that the Moro secessionist movement had ended and the rebels were now ready to lay down their firearms.
鈥淭o the MILF, decommissioning is not only an emotional issue, it is an ultimate sacrifice. It is also sensitive, that it is almost a taboo to discuss. But there is no other way, there is no escaping that decommissioning MILF weapons and combatants鈥� and putting beyond use鈥� have to be undertaken by MILF, as part of the comprehensive normalization process of the Bangsamoro (under the CAB),鈥� MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said.
The peace panels led by Iqbal and government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer held a joint press conference to address the bloody Mamasapano incident that threw a monkey wrench in the peace process.
Turkish ambassador聽Hayder Berk, head of the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), said at the press briefing that 鈥渄ecommissioning is an important and integral part鈥� of the peace process.
He also stressed the need for 鈥渢rust and cooperation鈥� in the decommissioning process.
Ferrer said that the list of the first 145 MILF members to be decommissioned would be handed over to the IDB 鈥渢his week.鈥�
鈥淕overnment in turn will prepare the socio-economic package that will be given to the decommissioned combatants in order to facilitate their path to productive, civilian lives in their respective communities,鈥� she said.
Ironically, she added, three days before the 鈥渇ateful events in Mamasapano,鈥� MILF chairman Ebrahim Murad had already handed over the list of 75 weapons to Berk and the other IDB members in Camp Darapanan.
The list of firearms had included their make and serial numbers.
Ferrer also said that the estimated number of firearms and forces initially relayed by the MILF to government were not far from the estimate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
鈥淲e are working on very close estimation of numbers but it requires the IDB to verify all of these,鈥� she said.
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