The Philippines government has reached an agreement with the country's largest Muslim separatist group on laying out the boundaries for a Muslim homeland in the troubled south.
On Thursday, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) outlined the designated territory to fall under Muslim control in the Mindanao region.
"Demarcation [of the homeland's boundaries] has been agreed," Rodolfo Garcia, the chief government negotiator, told reporters after two days of talks with MILF officials in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur ended.
No MILF officials were available to confirm or deny the report.
The government and MILF have been in talks for a decade about a self-governed territory for Muslims in the largely Catholic country - in hopes of ending a brutal 40-year-old conflict.
Disagreements over the size and wealth of the proposed territory had delayed talks for over a year and were a major stumbling block to an eventual permanent peace deal.
"It's definitely very good news," Jesus Dureza, a presidential adviser, said.
Bloody conflict
He added that the two sides hoped to sign a formal agreement early next year before moving onto what sort of government the homeland will have.
The two sides have previously signed two agreements on security and rehabilitation in conflict-affected areas.
Muslims in the south of the Philippines have been fighting for their own territory for decades.
So now Mindanao will be seperate state or just authonomic part of Philipinnes? Anyway, i dont understand , why relatively poorer south province want to separate from richer rest of Philipinnes.
This country is dying because of a lack of men, not a lack of programs.
Maybe with the same reason as Pattani separatists... they're Muslims and discriminated.
But how they situation could improve now? They would be cut off from financial help from Manilla i guess. And why they could live together untill 70's.
This country is dying because of a lack of men, not a lack of programs.
But how they situation could improve now? They would be cut off from financial help from Manilla i guess. And why they could live together untill 70's.
The moros have been rebelious since the Spanish colonisation time...
After obtaining independence from US, they managed to live peacefully until a President (I forgot his name) establish "Go South Policy" where Christians living in overcrowded areas in Luzon and Cebu were encouraged to go south (Muslim majority areas) and open new lands... Then this fighting for Moroland independence happened...
I'm not really know much about the Moros as I live in the Mainland Malaysia... maybe those who live in the state of Sabah (in Borneo part of Malaysia) know better about the exact situation.
From what I know, at least half a million of the Moros are living in Sabah, some of them even got Malaysian citizenship.
Thats a totally unfortunate abbreviation that group has. MILF is a well known western abbreviation for something extremly rude!
Anyway, nice to see theyre finally working it out without more bloodspilling.
Occupation: The term of control of a territory by foreign military forces: Iraq 2003-2005 Liberation:when something or someone is freed: Operation Telic 2003
Malaysia don't have the right to send back people which choose to live there. Its every person right to live where they wish to do so.
the government wont send back any immigrant except the illegal ones. But now about half of the Malaysian hates immigrant because of the increases of crime cases especially rape and murder cases.
25:36 And the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.
the government wont send back any immigrant except the illegal ones. But now about half of the Malaysian hates immigrant because of the increases of crime cases especially rape and murder cases.
Its just like in Europe.
This country is dying because of a lack of men, not a lack of programs.
Malaysia don't have the right to send back people which choose to live there. Its every person right to live where they wish to do so.
We've been sending back hundreds of thousands of immigrants before ... 500,000 Moros... is nothing.
In Malaysia, only Malaysian Malays can buy Malay Reserve Lands, Malay Reserved Houses. Who constitutes a "Malay"? Any Malaysian citizens who are Muslims, speak Malay Language habitually and practice Malay customs are considered as "Malays".
Thus, Malaysian citizens who are Arabs, Persians, Thais, Cambodians, Indians, Chinese, Javanese, Turks etc. as long as they are Muslims and speak Malay... they are considered as Malays.
Excluding, the state of Johor where Malaysian Arabs are considered as non-Malays. But Malaysian Turks are considered as Malays (weird huh?)
The states of Sabah and Sarawak (in Borneo part of Malaysia) can object any Malaysians from Peninsula (Malaya) from living and working in both states.
Conclusion, if Malaysians are not free to live wherever they want to live... how about the immigrants?
If a non-Malaysian want to buy a house, he could only buy a house not less than RM 100,000.00. If I'm not mistaken, he also must have a fixed account of not less than RM250,000.00...
the government wont send back any immigrant except the illegal ones.
True. But only 1.5 mil immigrants are legals. Yet, they're like 3 to 5 millions immigrants here.
format_quote Originally Posted by syilla
But now about half of the Malaysian hates immigrant because of the increases of crime cases especially rape and murder cases.
Half of Malaysians? I think it's 99% of Malaysians. Just look at the readers' comments on the daily newspapers everyday... and the local tv channels too.
Malaysians should be reminded that once upon a time, our ancestors are immigrants too...
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