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March 23, 2002, The Philippine Star, Editorial, The Abu Sayyaf threat,

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Janjalani

March 23, 2002, The Philippine Star, Editorial, The Abu Sayyaf threat,

President Estrada is threatening to crush Muslim separatists in Mindanao after they overran a town hall in Lanao del Norte. Gen. Angelo Reyes, Armed Forces chief of staff, is taking a hardline stance against Abu Sayyaf fundamentalists who are holding about 50 students and teachers hostage in Basilan. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is demanding a referendum on independence for Muslim areas in the south. All of these make you wonder why the government is bothering to discuss peace with the MILF, a group that is even now breaking apart because some members don't like being left out of the peace negotiations.

The MILF raided the Kauswagan town hall and stepped up its attacks in recent days to improve its bargaining position in the peace talks, and to get recognition as a Muslim rebel group from the Organization of Islamic Conference. The OIC, which recognizes only Nur Misuari's Moro National Liberation Front, helped broker the peace agreement that won for the MNLF the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development. With all the Muslim areas under the MNLF's supervision, what else can the government promise the MILF? Those MILF camps don't make an independent republic. A referendum has already been held, wherein most of the provinces of Mindanao refused to join the ARMM.

If the MILF wants the ARMM, no one will hand the region to the group on a silver platter. MILF leaders will have to do it the hard way, by running against Misuari and other candidates in the forthcoming ARMM elections. But first the MILF leaders will have to return to the fold of the law, renouncing violence and committing to peace.

Even if a peace agreement is forged, however, there's the Abu Sayyaf to worry about. Despite the death of its founding leader Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, the extremist group has continued to keep Basilan and neighboring provinces in the grip of terror. The most ruthless of the rebel groups in Mindanao, the Abu Sayyaf has kidnapped priests and nuns, raped women, massacred Christians, bombed churches and pillaged at least one town. If the government wants peace in Mindanao, it will first have to deal decisively with the Abu Sayyaf.

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