Philippine Muslim rebel group seeks unity with ex-secessionist leaders

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front ( MILF) appealed Tuesday to the leaders of various factions of a former Muslim rebel group for unity and solidarity amid the progress in the peace process with the Philippine government. Muhammad Ameen, chair of the MILF Secretariat, made the call following reports that some leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), particularly those in southern island province of Sulu, were planning to bring up a case before the United Nations. The MNLF was then a secessionist group, which forged a peace agreement with the Philippine government in 1996 in exchange for the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). But the MILF, a breakaway group of the MNLF, forged a framework agreement with the government last October. The initial pact is a roadmap that will abolish the ARMM and will pave the way for the creation of a Bangamoro government. Recently, the government and the MILF, the largest Muslim rebel group in the country, signed the second annex of the framework agreement, the wealth-sharing. "These achievements in the peace talks are for everybody and not for the MILF alone. We are inclusive and we make sure that whatever we sign with the government does not shortchange our people," Ameen said.