Joint Statement -9th GRP-MILF Exploratory Talks (September 16 2005)

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Joint Statement -9th GRP-MILF Exploratory Talks (September 16 2005)
Date: 16 Sep 2005
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - )
The Maoist Insurgencies (1968 - )

Philippines-NDF

The Philippines have been defined by a series of center-periphery and often ideologically Maoist, separatist insurgencies. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), began its war against the central Philippine government in 1968 through their armed wing – the New People’s Army (NPA). Further legitimacy was gained through the establishment of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in 1973. Grievances were predominantly opposed to the corruption and repression under the authoritarian Marcos regime.

Philippines-Cordillera

With the overthrow of Marcos’ regime in 1986, the CPP factionalized further to take on more localized characteristics. The Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) broke away from the NDF in 1986 to focus on the protection of the Cordilleran people and land in northern Luzon. Hostilities were formally ended in July 2011, with an agreement signed between the central government, the CPLA and the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) that allowed for the absorption of CPLA fighters into the Philippine Army and the re-working of the CBA-CPLA into a socio-development organisation.

Philippines-RPM-P

Meanwhile, purge among the CPP in the early 1990s, encouraged the formation of a parallel party, the Revolutionary Workers Party (RPM-P). Their armed wing, the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) which had carried out a number of assassinations during the 1980s at the bequest of the CPP, followed suit and allied themselves with the RPM-P in 1997 forming the (RPM-P-RPA-ABB). Severely weakened by the split with the CPP and with the arrest of several key figures, the RPM-P-RPA-ABB signed a peace agreement in December 2000, which encouraged the RPM-P’s branch in Mindanao to break away in 2001.

The CPP-NPA has only participated in intermittent talks with the government. Talks halted in 2004 when Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration sought closer ties with the U.S. in the war on terror and added the CPP-NPA to the list of terrorist organisations, renewing violence. Following the launch of a counter-insurgency by the Philippine government, negotiations have been further delayed due to suspected internal differences between the CPP ‘old guard’ and younger members.

The Moro Insurgency (1968 - )

Philippines-Mindanao

The Moro Insurgency began in 1968, in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago after the killing of Moro Commandos, the so-called Jabidah Massacre, by the Philippine Army following a plot to invade Sabah province in Malaysia. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) captured a swath of territory in the mid-1970s. In an attempt to stem the violence, the constitution was reformed and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was created 1990 granting a devolution of power to the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Following the establishment of the ARMM, the MNLF splintered into a range of smaller groups including Islamic factions such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayef Goup (ASG). The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed in 2014.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties: Sec. Silvestre C. Afable Jr., GRP Peace Panel Chairman;
Mohagher M. Iqbal, MILF Peace Panel Chairman
Third parties: -
Description: Agreement by the Peace Panels, informing on the 9th Round of Exploratory Talks between the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in which the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) adopted consensus points on the strand of governance for ancestral domain. The Parties acknowledged the efforts of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) on coordinating the Parties in the apprehension of criminal elements in Mindanao, and the Parties agreed to work towards strengthening the socio-economic monitoring functions of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and decided to invite other countries to partake in the monitoring process.

Agreement document: PH_050916_Joint Statement.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Substantive
Page 1, The Parties recognize the efforts of the Ad Hoc Joint Acton Group (AHJAG) relative to the ongoing operations against criminal groups in Maguindanao to wind up before the end of the month, and stress on the need for closer coordination to avoid the undue and prolonged displacement of local communities in affected areas. In this light, joint efforts to extend appropriate relief and livelihood assistance to affected communities will be undertaken.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: Power sharing→Territorial power sharing→Autonomous regions
Page 1, The 9th Exploratory Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ended today with the Parties successfully concluding the most difficult hurdle in the ancestral domain agenda.

The Technical Working Groups (TWGs) on Governance together with the GRP and MILF Peace Panels met in Kuala Lumpur from 15-16 September 2005 to continue negotiations under the ancestral domain agenda. The meeting was conducted in a cordial atmosphere despite the complexity of the subject. The TWGs in consultation with their respective Peace Panels succeeded in resolving the unfinished contentious issues from the last meeting in Port Dickson. Both sides adopted the consensus points on the strand on governance.

With this breakthrough, the peace process is on track to complete the ancestral domain agenda before the end of the year. The addition of the ancestral domain accord to the two previous agreements already signed on Security (2001) and the Rehabilitation and Development (2002) completes the requirement of the Tripoli Agreement on Peace of 2001.

The Malaysian Secretariat acknowledged the high level of trust and confidence between the Panels and their respective TWGs for their vital role in ensuring the successful conduct of discussions on the ancestral domain aspect.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 1, The Parties recognize the efforts of the Ad Hoc Joint Acton Group (AHJAG) relative to the ongoing operations against criminal groups in Maguindanao to wind up before the end of the month, and stress on the need for closer coordination to avoid the undue and prolonged displacement of local communities in affected areas. In this light, joint efforts to extend appropriate relief and livelihood assistance to affected communities will be undertaken.

The Parties will work towards strengthening the socio-economic monitoring function of the International Monitoring Team (IMT). Towards this end, other countries will be invited to participate in the monitoring process. Both parties thank Malaysia, Libya and Brunei for extending the IMT tour of duty in Mindanao.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: Page 1, The Parties recognize the efforts of the Ad Hoc Joint Acton Group (AHJAG) relative to the ongoing operations against criminal groups in Maguindanao to wind up before the end of the month, and stress on the need for closer coordination to avoid the undue and prolonged displacement of local communities in affected areas. In this light, joint efforts to extend appropriate relief and livelihood assistance to affected communities will be undertaken.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: GRP-MILF Peace Process: Compilation of Signed Agreements & other related Documents (1997-2010); (MILF Peace Panel/Asia Foundation, 2010), p. 154.

JOINT STATEMENT

The 9th Exploratory Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippine (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ended today with the Parties successfully concluding the most difficult hurdle in the ancestral domain agenda.

The Technical working Groups (TWGs) on Governance together with the GRP and MILF Peace Panels met in Kuala Lumpur from 15 - 16 September 2005 to continue negotiations under the ancestral domain agenda.

The meeting was conducted in a cordial atmosphere despite the complexity of the subject.

The TWGs in consultation with their respective Peace Panels succeeded in resolving the unfinished contentious issues from the last meeting in Port Dickson.

Both sides adopted the consensus points on the strand on governance.

with this breakthrough, the peace process is on track to complete the ancestral domain agenda before the end of the year.

The addition of the ancestral domain accord to the two previous agreements already signed on Security (2001) and Rehabilitation and Development (2002) completes the requirement of the Tripoli Agreement on Peace of 2001.

The Malaysian Secretariat acknowledge the high level of trust and confidence between the Panels and their respective TWGs for their vital role in ensuring the successful conduct of discussions on the ancestral domain aspect.

Simultaneously the Peace Panels also met to discuss and address several issues of concern to both Parties,

The Panics recognize thc efforts of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) relative to the ongoing operations against criminal groups in Maguindanao to wind up before the end of the month, and stress on the need for closer coordination to avoid the undue and prolonged displacement of local communities in affected areas.

in this light, joint efforts to extend appropriate relics and livelihood assistance to affected communities will be undertaken.

The Parties will work towards strengthening the socio-economic monitoring function of the international Monitoring Team (IMT).

Towards this end, other countries will be invited to participate in the monitoring process.

Both parties thank Malaysia, Libya and Brunei for extending the IMT tour of duty in Mindanao.

The Parties express their gratitude to H. E. Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi for the Malaysian Government's continued support to the GRP-MILF peace process.

The Parties likewise acknowledge H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's firm commitment to lasting and durable peace.

Done this 16" of September 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

For the GRP:

For the MLF:

C. AFABLE, JR.

W OAG -

Chairman, GRP Peace Panel Chairman, . ----