Fighting between Islamic rebels and Philippine troops intensified yesterday, dimming hopes of renewed peace talks with the southern separatists, government and military officials said.
More than 100 Muslim fighters have been killed in four days of clashes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Mindanao island, military spokesman Colonel Julieto Ando said.
About 90,000 people have been displaced by the upsurge in fighting, local and foreign relief agencies operating in the region where government troops have battled insurgents for 40 years said.
“Fighting intensified overnight with battles raging near the towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Datu Piang, all in Maguindanao province,” said Ando, who blamed recent rebels attacks for the deteriorating situation.
“We have done our best to embrace peace, but the MILF started the hostilities by pillaging villages and murdering innocent civilians in Mindanao,” Ando said. “Now we are implementing the full force of the law and we will arrest those responsible for the traitorous attacks against civilians.”
MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal warned of a return to full-scale hostilities.
“This is a grim scenario and I don’t even want to think about it, but if the peace talks collapse then there will be war again in Mindanao,” he said.
Iqbal blamed hawkish factions of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo’s government and local Christian politicians opposed to a Muslim homeland.
“The voice of reason is dwarfed by the voice of hatred and prejudice,” he said. “The peace talks are slowly breaking apart and if this continues, may God help us all.”
Talks to end the 40-year-old insurgency have been going on for 11 years, with a ceasefire officially in force since 2003.
The peace accord would have granted Muslims their own separate state across more than 700 villages in Mindanao, but the Supreme Court on Aug. 4 halted the so-called Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.
The peace plan had sparked a series of protests from mostly Christian politicians and residents opposed to the inclusion of their areas into the so-called Bangsamoro (Muslim) Juridical Entity.
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