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Malaysia extends Philippine peace bid

Malaysia said yesterday it would keep its peacekeepers in the southern Philippines for another three months to monitor a fragile truce between Muslim rebels and government forces.

The announcement comes in the wake of a recent outbreak of violence between Philippine security forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that has killed at least 47 civilians and displaced more than 360,000, according to the government.

Malaysia has acceded to a request by the Philippine government to extend the peacekeepers’ mandate, Foreign Minister Rais Yatim told reporters.

“A three-month period would be a reasonable extent of time for us to play that role to bring together the .... [peace] process,” he said.

“We are concerned about the continuing violence and this is the first segment of our address so that violence should stop,” he said.

Malaysia began withdrawing its 40 peacekeepers in stages in April from violence-scarred Mindanao island because of frustrations over the slow pace of talks between Manila and the MILF.

But the decision was reversed earlier this month and Malaysia said it would maintain at least 12 peacekeepers.

Their peacekeepers’ mandate was to expire on Sunday, but with the latest extension, they are expected to remain until Nov. 30.

Malaysia’s decision follows the visit this week of Manila’s chief negotiator in the peace talks, Rodolfo Garcia, and his rebel counterpart, Mohagher Iqbal.

The Malaysian government’s frustrations intensified after an accord granting minority Muslims in the Philippines an expanded homeland was blocked by a Philippine Supreme Court ruling earlier this month.

The court issued a temporary restraining order to delay the signing of the accord after Christian politicians objected to the deal because the Philippine government failed to publicly disclose its contents.

A Malaysian Foreign Ministry statement said the government agreed to the three-month extension “in order to give space for both sides to resolve” their dispute in Supreme Court.

Peace talks between Manila and the rebels have been brokered by Malaysia, which heads the ceasefire monitors that includes both military and nonmilitary personnel from Brunei, Libya and Japan.
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