Peace for Another Time?

PHILIPPINES - In Brief 10 Sep 2013 by Romeo Bernardo
In our Quarterly Report ("In a good place," Aug.. 8, 2013), we said that "bringing the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fully into the fold" is a key activity for meeting a tight timetable for the peace process in Mindanao and the creation of a  Bangsamoro political entity before the end of President Aquino's term in 2016.  The violence that erupted Monday in the southern the city of Zamboanga between MNLF Chair Nur Misuari's leaders and government forces resulted in the death of 4 civilians and evacuation of thousands. Zamboanga City, commercial hub of Region 9, was a ghost city for two days, proof that a disgruntled Misuari, sidelined for the last ten years, can still destabilize the peace process between government and the rival Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).  Misuari, who has declared that the Final Peace Agreement he signed in 1996 has been violated, appears to feel that he is being isolated and left out of government's current negotiations with MILF.  Even if the situation is defused, Misuari can still cause problems and needs to be handled gingerly by government.The violence which paralyzed a vital commercial hub, casts a negative light on the country's internal security and may give prospective foreign investors pause.  Together with increased uncertainty caused by the unresolved pork barrel issue on perceptions of governance and ability to keep up public spending, the country may see recent economic gains whittled away.

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