June 20, 2001, Inquirer News Service, ARMM gov losing grip on power,

June 20, 2001, Inquirer News Service, ARMM gov losing grip on power,

GOVERNOR Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is slowly losing his grip on power and influence. 

After being ousted as MNLF chair by a majority of the group’s executive committee members, Misuari suffered yet another blow when he was denied a visa by the Libyan government. 

He had intended to lead the MNLF delegation at the opening of the peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF. 

According to Dr. Farouk Hussein, chief of the MNLF foreign affairs commission, the rejection of Misuari's application for a visa indicated that Libya recognized the reforms within the MNLF leadership. 

Hussein believes that with Libya’s position of influence in the Organization of Islamic Conference, other OIC member-countries will follow suit in recognizing the changes in the MNLF. 

Foremost among the reforms initiated by a majority of the MNLF executive committee members was Misuari’s "promotion" as chair emeritus, a position that is largely nominal. 

The chairmanship was declared temporarily vacant, and its role assumed by the 15-member committee. 

Misuari, however, has refused to accept his new position in the MNLF. 

He has called for an extraordinary two-day assembly of the Bangsa Moro People's National Consultative Congress, in an apparent effort to reassert his control over the MNLF rank and file. 

But Libya appeared to have given its blessings to the MNLF executive committee by granting visas to seven of its members to enable them to sit as observers at the peace negotiations in Tripoli. 

Those granted visas were Hussein, vice chair Hatimil Hassan, secretary general Muslimen Sema, chief of staff Yusof Jikiri, military intelligence chief Abdul "Kong" Sahiron, information officer Karun Yusop, Kutawato Attara, and Utoh Salem Cutan. 

From Libya, the group will proceed to Mali to attend the Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference, which starts on June 26. 

Hussein expects the conference to formally recognize the executive committee as the legitimate representative of the MNLF, which has observer status with the OIC. Reports from Hernan P. de la Cruz and Ayan C. Mellejor, PDI Mindanao Bureau; Rocky Nazareno