Malaysia’s Pullout and Its Implications for Mindanao

After the deployment of the IMT, clashes between government and MILF forces declined significantly from 698 and 559 incidents in 2002 and 2003, respectively, to only 15 in 2004, 10 in 2005, 13 in 2006, 7 in 2007, and one in the first quarter of 2008.

Owing to significant reduction of armed encounters between government and MILF forces, the IMT was able to undertake humanitarian services other than its task of monitoring the ceasefire. Its Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) had undertaken 33 outreach programs treating 10,654 patients.

The relative peace experience in conflict-affected areas after the deployment of the IMT brought about also substantial economic growth in the region.

The following is summary of the gains achieved since the deployment of the IMT in 2004:7

* Increased participation of civil society organizations in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement;
* Increased partnership of some BIAF-MILF elements and Maguindanao CVO in community development works and in the settlement of rido;
* Improved awareness of some local government unit executives to the GRP-MILF ceasefire agreement and support to the ceasefire;
* Significant decrease in armed skirmishes between the GRP and MILF forces results to an upward trend in economic indicators in Mindanao;
* Armed hostilities in the conflict prone areas effectively contained;
* Relative peace in Mindanao allows the peace negotiating panels to tackle substantive issues of the peace negotiations;
* Accelerated relief, rehabilitation and implementation of development projects;
* International participation and support stepping up; and
* Increased level of trust and confidence among BIAF and AFP combatants, and to the ceasefire mechanisms due to its effectiveness in containing the armed clashes.

The tenure of the IMT is not open-ended. The mandate is to be renewed every year. Even before the end of the mandate, the IMT may suspend or terminate its mission if the field situation becomes dangerous and life threatening to its members; if the GRP or MILF, or both, fail to fulfill their commitments and responsibilities to the peace process; or if there is lack of support by both parties towards any IMT reports.

Why Malaysia Pulling Out

“Because there is a need for us to indicate that we cannot be there forever… both parties must work closely together to thresh out a peaceful solution, and to underline the seriousness of the situation, we have decided to withdraw some of our peace-keepers,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.8 He also said, “We need to show that we cannot and we should not be there as part of the International Monitoring Team indefinitely. There has to be some degree of finality in terms of our presence there.”9 Datu Othman Abdul Razak was more specific when he said that it is “meant to send a signal” to the Philippine government to speed up efforts to sign a formal peace agreement with the MILF.10 These are some of the reasons coming from officials in Kuala Lumpur why Malaysia is pulling out its contingents.

Malaysia’s exasperation is understandable. The talks are now eleven years old, and for the last seven years Malaysia is patiently facilitating the negotiations. Malaysia’s involvement started when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001 she immediately sought the assistance of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad to convince the MILF to resume the stalled negotiations. The MILF withdrew from the negotiations after the government waged an all-out war against the MILF in 2000. At the start, the MILF was reluctant to resume the talks not after the emissaries of Prime Minister Mahathir made several trips to the camp of the late MILF Chairman Salamat Hashim.

With the facilitation of Malaysia, the GRP and MILF reached agreements on security, and rehabilitation and development issues. Substantial issues on ancestral domain were already resolved in the consensus points. What will follow is a memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain before discussion on the comprehensive compact can begin.

We have not heard much from government why the delay in signing the approved draft of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain other than general statements coming from Secretary Jesus Dureza who said that “the government, while committed to push the peace process forward, is not delaying but doing due diligence in completing the government’s final draft of the ancestral domain agreement to ensure that it is implementable and defensible from attacks of unconstitutionality.”11