Locals in Mindanao have set high hopes that their struggle for peace would soon become fruitful and whole. But for others, this could only be possible when oil mixes with water. At present, the Moro movement in Mindanao remained divided along tribal lines in two major factions. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces in the Sulu Archipelago, and the Mindanao-based Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF accounts the most number of Muslim rebels in the Philippines with 11,000 members according to its Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs Ghadzali Jaafar, compared to a 3,000 - 5,000 MNLF fully armed members based on the estimated number of a senior security official. Not to mention some other insurgent and terror groups in the country.
However, among the Moro rebel groups in Mindanao, the MNLF is the only one recognized since 1977 as an observer member by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the 2nd largest sub-cluster in the United Nations with 56-member States. It is the largest Moro movement in the Philippines when it was founded by Nur Misuari in 1969.
Under the Military Command (MILCOM) the MNLF has two (2) Unified Commands or UC, UC1 covers Western Mindanao area while UC2 allegedly operates in Central Mindanao.
Most of their bases are spread throughout the whole Island that definitely makes their number looks huge and giving them a widely stronghold territories. MNLF armed groups are mainly concentrated in Sulu and parts of Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan and Tawi – Tawi.
Through the decades of fighting against the Philippine government, different views among its members have led for the MNLF to have a separatist group.
Recently, the Philippine government and the MILF, one of the separatists from the MNLF, have signed a historical framework agreement on the Bangasamoro region. The agreement aims to end a long history of insurgency in the Muslim region of the country. That has claimed more than 150,000 lives, since the rebellion started in 1970s.
Chief negotiators of both sides, Marvic Leonen and Mohagher Iqbal signed the framework agreement on October 15, 2012, in the presence of President Benigno Aquino III, MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
Several government officials and foreign delegates had also witnessed the signing of the agreement.-Continue reading at Agora Business Intelligence...
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