Manila - Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim gives a lecture at the De La Salle Graduate School in RCBC plaza, Makati City, business district of Manila. June 6, 2008.
Visiting former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and now a leading opposition leader of Malaysia has called on the Malaysia government to send Malaysian peacekeepers back to help maintain peace in southern Philippines.
In a speech Friday at the De La Salle Graduate School in Makati, Anwar said Malaysia‘s role in monitoring the ceasefire between the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Arroyo government has led to significant declines in armed conflict in the south.
"That is why we in the opposition come out very strongly to call on the Malaysian government to resume their participation in this IMT [International Monitoring Team]," he said.
Malaysia comprised the biggest force in the IMT until they were ordered back in phases starting last month due partly to a deadlock in the peace negotiations.
Seeks continuation of engagement
Anwar said "you cannot fight fire with more fire," especially in a situation where there is social injustice and "economic marginalization."
He said there should be a "continuation of the proven and successful engagement" of the various parties involved in the peace process in Mindanao.
Anwar said resolution of conflicts such as the one in Mindanao needs "dialogue and understanding" plus "the political will to resolve issues of national security, economic development and social justice."
He said prospects for peace would be brighter if these factors are present.
Presence eased conflict
During a brief press conference, Anwar said he understands the reasons given by the Malaysian foreign ministry on why Malaysia pulled out its troops from southern Philippines.
He said the foreign ministry said that "it would be a futile exercise" for the Malaysian troops to continue. The ministry also pointed out that the principles that had been agreed upon between the government negotiators and the MILF on constitutional issues were "reneged" upon by the government.
But notwithstanding these details, Anwar said that "as a matter of principle, I think they (Malaysian peacekeepers) should continue because firstly, their presence has helped ease the skirmishes."
For the "sake of peace and stability, not only in the Philippines but also in the region," Anwar said the Malaysians should not abdicate their responsibility.
"I understand the reasons given are quite compelling, but you‘re talking about lives, you‘re talking about violence," he said.
Anwar noted that the conflict in the south "has been there for decades", which means that it may take longer to resolve the problem.
"So a few months extra wouldn‘t cause much harm," he said, stressing that the "multilateral effort to reduce skirmishes and violence in Mindanao should continue."
"It has been proven that the team has helped peace resolution. And it is unfortunate if we resort to ignore that importance and therefore withdraw," he said.
Malaysia has been the key peace broker in Mindanao since 2001. A ceasefire between government troops and the MILF began in 2003.
Anwar said expects his People‘s Justice Party to topple the ruling party led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi by September 2008.
ASEAN Charter
Speaking on the ASEAN Charter in his speech, Anwar said the charter that was approved by ASEAN leaders last year was a "major disappointment."
He said the foreign ministers of the original ASEAN 5, such as Adam Malik of Indonesia and Narciso Ramos of the Philippines, had "more advanced thinking" than those who wrote the ASEAN Charter.
"Look at the ASEAN Charter now? Diluted in terms of democracy, human rights, ASEAN parliament, human rights body. All these things were shelved because countries were not prepared," he said.
The ASEAN Charter proposes a human rights body, but it will have very limited powers, unlike the UN Human Rights Commission.
The ASEAN Charter has yet to be ratified by all 10 ASEAN members. President Arroyo wants to see more progress in the human rights situation in Myanmar before pushing for its ratification by the opposition-dominated Philippine Senate.
On the war in Iraq, Anwar said the solution is for US troops to withdraw.
"They say, there will be civil war, but do you mean there is no civil war now? They say there will be more killings, but there‘s enough killings now," he said. "The solution is, the Americans get out." (By ISAGANI DE CASTRO JR)
Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com (6/6/2008)
