MANILA, Philippines - Irked by military claims that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) violated a ceasefire agreement with the government, the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) has started keeping score of alleged ceasefire violations by the government.
A statement on the MILF's website on Saturday called on both sides to resume peace negotiations to "dramatically curb" the ceasefire violations.
"(There were) unusual movements and deployment of [government troops] near MILF positions such as on Camp Darapanan, Palimbang, SK Pendatun, and Lebak ... (There were also) countless aerial reconnaissance over Camp Darapanan and other MILF areas," the statement said.
It said the BIAF general staff's count showed that there were 15 arrests of MILF members by the police and military; two killings of MILF members by the AFP-PNP; 12 "uncoordinated movements" of AFP units; three "human rights violations related to mass assembly"; and at least one "desecration of graves in Sulu."
The MILF also scored two incidents of mortar shelling on an MILF community resulting in the killing of civilians in Basilan. The MILF also reported two ground attacks against MILF positions by AFP units in Basilan and Aleosan.
"Apparently, the best way forward for the ongoing GRPMILF peace process and to dramatically curb the increasing alleged ceasefire violations is to immediately resume the peace negotiations in Malaysia, extend the IMT mandate that expires by August 31, 2008, and ending the exchange of word war between the MILF and GRP especially over the media and information networks," it said.
"Until and unless the negotiation resumes before the end of August, the fear, apprehensions and anxiety of renewed hostilities and violence in Mindanao remain high especially among the civilians," the statement added.
The BIAF general staff, in coordination with the MILF ceasefire committee, collated the data on the alleged ceasefire violations committed by the government forces beginning May 1.
The MILF noted that AFP chief of staff Gen. Alexander Yano, who headed the government ceasefire committee for almost two years, recently claimed the MILF committed 40 ceasefire violations since May 1.
MILF ceasefire committee chairman Toks Ebrahim also said Yano's claims will remain allegations until verified by the ceasefire committees of both sides.
Citing MILF-BIAF figures, he said the military started at least five of the 40 incidents, while the BIAF started only three.
On the other hand, the MILF continued to keep its hands off the other incidents, saying MILF fighters were acting on their own.
"Fighters identified with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front may have undertaken 40 missions of sabotage, harassments or attacks, but those were not authorized by the Front's leadership or some of these incidents might also be the handiwork of other groups," it said.
"We cannot confirm nor deny the claim since the MILF leadership is still validating many of the reports from the ground. But what is confirmed is that some of those incidents were spearheaded by 'frustrated" elements within the MILF over the attitude of the government on the peace negotiations," claimed MILF deputy spokesman Khaled Musa.
The allegations against the MILF included eight "sabotage operations" against the towers and generating facilities of the National Transmission Corporation and power barges particularly the one in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat province. One Transco tower costs about P50 million.
According to the MILF, the situation on the ground started to heat up in May following the pullout of 29 Malaysian military contingents with the IMT. It happened in the wake of an impasse on peace negotiations that started in February.
Calls by various sectors for the government to resume peace talks had mounted, the MILF statement said.
"The MILF had time and again signified its readiness to resume with the stalled talks but, on the other hand, the government is not ready yet to go back to negotiations. Thus, the hiatus on the negotiations that directly affects the ceasefire on the ground is being largely blame against the government," it said. - GMANews.TV