Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia on Wednesday urged Philippine government and rebels to restrain from the use of force, and to solve their problems through dialogue and negotiations.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Dais Yatim made this remark in a statement issued here on Wednesday as Philippine President Arroyo’s Special Envoy Hermogenes C. Esperon is arriving here for a two-day visit.
"Malaysia wishes to urge both sides to restrain themselves from resorting to the use of force that would further affect the well being of the Internally Displaced Persons," Dais said.
Hermogenes is arriving here to deliver a message from Arroyo on the current developments in southern Philippines to Malaysia’s Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, according to the ministry.
Tension rose again in southern Philippines’ Mindanao since July1 this year when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces reportedly started to occupy villages in North Cotabato, causing at least 160,000 residents to flee home.
The Philippine government troops launched offensives against the MILF rebels on Aug. 10 after the rebels ignored an ultimatum from the Philippine government.
On Aug. 16, the Philippine military said that the death toll from clashes in southern Philippines between government troops and the MILF forces totaled nine, with 22 others wounded and 113 houses were burned during the fighting.
At least 24,623 families or 164,973 persons from 64 villages in three provinces there had been affected, while 66 evacuation centers now host 6,467 families or 32,335 persons, the Philippine military said.
The 12,000-member MILF, Philippines’ largest Muslim rebel group, has been fighting for a Muslim state for nearly 4 million Muslims residing in the southern Philippines since the 1970s.
Sporadic skirmishes erupted between the rebels and government forces in the south since mid-August when the Philippine Supreme Court halted the signing of a Muslim homeland agreement.
Malaysia has been playing a role of mediator for the peace process in southern Philippines. Yet, the country withdrew its peace observers from the region in May this year. Editor: Yan
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com (September 11, 2008)