Oic Moves to Unite MNLF and MILF

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The Secretary General brings together the leaders of MNLF and MILF for an agreement

Date: 20/05/2010 
source: oic-oci.org

The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu carried out contacts with the leadership of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to enhance coordination between the two fronts and unite their ranks for the peace and development of the Bangsamoro people.


He succeeded in bringing them together for a meeting which was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on the sidelines of the 37th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers on 18 May 2010 with the participation of senior officials of the OIC in charge of Muslim Minorities issues.


The Chairmen of the two fronts, Prof. Nur Misuari, Chairman of MNLF, and Haj Murad Ibrahim, Chairman of MILF, have agreed to enhance the cooperation and coordination among them, and to create a mechanism for that purpose with the technical help from the OIC General Secretariat. A second meeting between them will be held in the near future to lat down the details of that mechanism.


The Secretary General promised to render any needed assistance for the holding of this meeting. 

OIC moves to unite rebel groups

By EDD K. USMAN

May 21, 2010, 4:43pm

The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) headed by Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanuglo is working for the unity of the ranks of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) "for the peace and development of the Bangsamoro people."

Ihsanuglo has brought together MNLF founding Chairman Prof. Nur Misuari and MILF Chairman Al-Haji Murad Ebrahim to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, for the 37th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OIC on May 18-20.

MNLF has a permanent observer status with the OIC and always gets invitation from the 57-member pan-Islamic body.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said Ihsanuglo officially invited Murad to the OIC-CFM in Tajikistan.

An OIC statement said the OIC secretary general brought together the two Muslims leaders and met with them on May 20 at the sidelines of the OIC-CFM with the objective of pushing for an enhanced coordination between the two Moro groups “and unite their ranks for the peace and development of the Bangsamoro people.”

Senior officials of the OIC who handle issues on Muslim minorities also attended the meeting in Dushanbe at the start of the OIC-CFM.

Ihsanuglo was able to convince the two Moro leaders. The OIC will help in setting up a mechanism to carry out cooperation and coordination between the MNLF and the MILF.

“The Chairmen of the two fronts, Prof. Nur Misuari, Chairman of MNLF, and Haj Murad Ibrahim, Chairman of MILF, have agreed to enhance the cooperation and coordination among them, and to create a mechanism for that purpose with the technical help from the OIC General Secretariat. A second meeting between them will be held in the near future to (lay) down the details of that mechanism,” the OIC said.

Ihsanuglo vowed to provide any assistance required to hold the next meeting between Misuari and Murad. No date and venue have been identified yet.

Reached by the Manila Bulletin, MILF Vice Chairman for Political Affairs Ghazali Jaafar confirmed the presence of Al-Hajji Murad and a few other MILF leaders at the OIC-CFM in the Central Asian republic's capital.

"The presence of Brother Al-Hajji Murad at the meeting of OIC foreign ministers is very significant because the MILF will be able to convey to them the true condition of the Bangsamoro people and the progress and present status of the GRP-MILF peace process," said Jaafar.

On the MNLF side, Prof. Mashur Ghalib Bin Jundam, chairman of the education committee of the MNLF, said Misuari prepared a long speech for the OIC meeting as he left on May 17.

"I expect 'Maas' (Misuari) to update the OIC on the review of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, including the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Tripoli, Libya, on March 20," said Jundam. "If I know 'Maas,' I am sure there will be some fireworks in his speech like old times," he added.


source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/258373/oic-moves-unite-rebel-groups

We are Not Filipino, We are Moro

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Tracking the Moro Successors

By Nur Danial

The severe war in Mindanao during the Martial Law in 1972 brought the defenseless Moro children to the new victory. The more they are scattered in the country and in the foreign countries, the more advantageous for them. The writer is tracking them closely and unveil them to the world.

Strong Moro in Sabah

Most of the MNLF officers and members brought their children to Sabah after the 1974 burning of Jolo. The writer failed to give the exact numbers of the said refugees but they are estimated million as of this date. Most of them are educated in Malaysia's public schools while others failed to enroll due to lack of legal documents in Sabah.

Today, there are thousands of Moro youth working in Malaysia in different fields and most of them are in the engineering industry. Their practical experiences are recognized in the world.

Workers and Students in Abroad on the Top

Some Moro youth are working abroad such as Brunei, Australia, Canada, England, United State and most of them are working in Saudi Arabia. They work as medical staffs, engineers, architects, and others are working as domestic helpers. The craft they had contributed long time ago to present time helps to various developments of the host countries, while improving their experiences and expertise for the preparation of self-governance back to their homeland.

Aside from working abroad there are huge numbers of Moro youth studying abroad including Harvard University, Azhar University, University of Madina, International Islamic University Malaysia, International Islamic University Pakistan, and other prestigious universities all over the world. Their struggles and excellent academic achievement abroad catches the attention of the foreign universities.

The MNLF had initiated their scholarship grant for Moro children studying abroad and few of them are supported by their parents. The graduates are already scattered everywhere in their homeland as Muslim scholars, technocrats, and experts, while others are still uplifting their academic achievements in abroad.

Government Workers Increasing

Every year the numbers of the Moro young professionals are increasing in the Philippines government offices such as university, military, media, hospital, and lot more, even do they are being criticize by some Filipinos. However, only few of them having the chances to hold the vital position. Accordingly, this is one of the some Filipino's biases toward Moro that hard to wipe out.

Although to obtain important position in the government is hard, the Moro youth are still hopeful. The writer assumes that if Moro are unified the fate will be at their side. No position in the government is impossible to them. The Moros believe that there are lots of young professionals are more than qualified.

NGO: Global level

The Non-government Organization (NGO) is famous in the Moro youth activities now-a-days. The writer observes that Moro NGOs all do dancing different arts but the music is still directed at one aim. Moro NGOs helps a lot on opening the eyes of the Moros to continue defending the Moro rights.

The Moro women are more active compared to men in the NGO movement. Is this because of the past experienced that the Moro women were humiliated by the Filipino armies? Atleast the women sector, as an important sector, has already performing their essential roles.

The programs of the Moro NGO are already playing in the global arena. This brought the attention of the world to eying the Moro rights.

Business Sectors across the SEA

Like Filipino business sector the Moro youth are also vigorous producing business opportunities not only in the Philippines but also in Southeast Asian countries and Middle East.

Barter trading is well-known engagement of Moro business sectors. The good news is the Moro youth are the majority leading the said business in Sulu and Mindanao. Zamboanga City (one of the Moro strongholds) is one among the centers of the barter trading in the country. Their recent base found not only Malaysia but also in China and Middle East.

Breaking the Walls of Unemployment

There are many cases reported that one of the employment factors of Moro youth is discrimination. Majority of the Philippines government offices and private sectors rejected the qualified Moro young and professionals applying for job. The common illogical reason was the Moros are suspected as terrorists.

Today, the young and independent mind Moro realized to set up small opportunities in their respective community as an alternative to employment. Small business and agriculture would be better and effective for them.

Buzzing the Online Community

Online forum, blog, and chat are the common online communities that open the communication between and among Moros world wide. These interactive communities gradually bring the new hope for Moro and form the young Moros to exchange views, culture and even opportunities. The said online communities also extended to other nationalities for broad networking.

Through web site and blog the Moro online community are slowly organizing a formal and non-formal media to rewrite, write and publish accurate information about the Moro's right, history, culture and tradition, art, etc. as an alternative to misinformation scattered by their enemy and alien Medias. Moros living in the rural areas are also not left behind through the helps of the urban Moros.

Battle Grounds for Peace

The More than 40 years of Moro struggle for self-determination had produced heroes, martyrs, and successors. The Moro freedom fighters and allies who passed away and still alive are producing more talented and incredible successors. They are wiser than the out-going freedom fighters. The past struggle must not become a trauma but a great lesson for the future. Their numbers and qualities are increasing in the every single oppression of their enemies. The attacks of their enemies in the grounds are protected by their loyal blood and broad minds for peace.

Conclusion

The success always comes to the hand of the successors. The great Moro warriors of the present and past time are legends to be remembered forever. If the Moro had resisted the colonial ambushes and frauds for more than 400 years, then why not the present young Moros can't survive? The bloods of their great martyr parents are inspiring in every bit of their heart. The writer assumes that the Moro youth are now the magnificent liberators of their great Bansgamoro homeland. These are the impacts of the yesterday's colonialism.

Where are they right now? They are present in the timeless ambush of their enemy watching and protecting the honor and dignity of their people, while charging and producing of both external and internal powers to the next levels.

MNLF Youth Stronger than Before

By Nur Danial

After more than forty years of Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination, the MNLF was scattered into several pieces. Their enemy successfully delayed the original aim of the front, i.e, the independence. However, according to MNLF youth this will not be the end of the history of Bangsamoro struggle, but a new beginning for strong MNLF they stressed. Everything has unpredicted wisdom (hikmah) from Him.

I personally observed that the Moro youth are stronger than before in all aspects. The objectives of the renaissance are clearer than the past generation. The enemy's tricks and MNLF failures are lessons for the next steps. In other words, the MNLF youth today is climbing with extra care and confidence.

What the Moros Need Now

By The Voice 

http://www.kalimayahan.blogspot.com
The Moros need someone who can truly fight for their rights to self-determination guided by the universal messagge of God to work for harmony and peace on earth. Unfortunately, most have fallen as slaves to the dictates of their own selfish egoes. Some have fallen blind to the trust (Amanah) given by God by being absolutely loyal to persons and organizations. Loyalty is to none but God Alone. That is the Kalima. Persons and organizations and even states only serve as means to an end. The End being the development of the human personality.

The person the Moros want is in their hands. This person can be born in each and every Moro. This person can be each and every Moro.

Who are the Moro?

By zambo on Mon, 04/08/2008 - 10:48pm

Author's Note

The casual visitor, stopping in Zamboanga or Jolo between boats, sees the Moro as a slightly grimy individual with a bad reputation. Faintly disturbing stories of the prowess of this villain with the razor-edged kris, sometimes reach the tourist's ears. Most of the stories are true. The visitor may also hear something of the enmity which exists between the Filipinos and the Moros. This is also true, as the Filipinos may discover when America leaves the islands.

What the tourist does not realize is that this sinewy, brown man, gaudily dressed in brilliant silk trousers and colorful turban, has an astounding history.

There are many men better qualified to write the military history of the Moros than this author. I know one man who could have done so and it would have been a wonderful book. He knew more about the Moros than any man in the world, I believe. He is dead now. Just before he died, I said to him, "Papa, why don't you write the story of these Mohammedan wards of ours?"

He was a Colonel in the United States Army but everyone called him "Papa".

Papa said, "Someday I will, Vic. It will have to be after some of the high rankers have gone to their rewards. I'd step on too many toes now."

But Papa passed on, as all good soldiers do, and that history of the Moros remained unwritten.

Almost, once, a newspaper man did the job. He was editor of the first newspaper in Mindanao, and he was eminently qualified. But he became busy with other things and the material turned yellow in the trunks of his basement and the book remained one of those nebulous things "that ought to be done".

So I have tried to do it. And when I look back to the seven years' association I had with the Moros while collecting the material, I wish I could have done a better job.

For the Moros are a grand people. Everything written about them, almost, has been authored by their enemies. They are feared and hated by the Filipinos. They were feared and hated by the Spaniards.

They spoiled a conquest.

Every one of them is valiant. There never was a Moro who was afraid to die. Death on the field of battle is a privilege, and they guard their privileges jealously.

History can never forget the Moros, for they did something in the 1500's, and the 1600's, and the 1700's and clear down into the 1800's, that was supposed to be impossible. They proved too strong for the Spanish conquistadores!

G. V. H.

San Diego, California

May, 1936


source: http://www.qatarliving.com/node/160628