Cotabato City, Philippines - Australia has expressed interest in playing a more direct role in the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a rebel official said Thursday.
Australia has been providing support to development projects in war-torn areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other parts of the southern island in a bid to bolster peace talks between the government and the MILF.
But Eid Kabalu, MILF civil-military affairs chief, said Canberra now wants to join the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT).
The IMT is a body created by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the military and the rebel.
Recently, non-OIC members Japan and Canada were allowed to become part of the IMT.
Japan‘s role in the IMT is focused on the socio-economic aspect of the peace process while Canada said it will help develop governance.
"We welcome it. However, we have [a] certain process to follow before they can join. Their decision is still pending in the peace panels," he said.
It was not clear whether Canberra wants to send military representatives to the IMT like Kuala Lumpur, Brunei, Libya and other OIC countries have done.
Kabalu said the role would become clear once Australia‘s bid had finally been accepted.
"It will be discussed once the peace talks resume in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after the Ramadan," he said.
In a related development, Kabalu said they support the proposal of Singapore-based security analyst Taharudin Piang Ampatuan for a broader role for US forces in the peace process.
US forces have been training their Filipino counterparts on anti-terror in Mindanao but Ampatuan said they could also become effective peacekeepers.
"There is no problem with that especially if it helps peace and security, as well as the peace process in Mindanao," Kabalu said.
Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net (21 September 2007)
