Muslim separatist rebels and the Philippines government broke a year-long impasse and resumed talks Wednesday, in a process the Malaysian hosts said could lead to a peace deal by January. "Hopefully, the peace pact can be inked by January 2008," a Malaysian official involved with facilitating the negotiations told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Two days of discussions between the Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are focused on the sensitive issue of ancestral domain, the official said. Manila and MILF signed a ceasefire in 2001 and opened peace talks, but one of the stumbling blocks has been the rebels' demand for recognition of their ancestral domain.
The land consists of untitled communal farms that came under formal state ownership when the Philippines became a Spanish colony in the late 16th century. "Malaysia is encouraging the two sides to move on and not to sit on the issue too long," the official said, adding that this week's negotiations would also centre on maritime issues and resources.
The official said Malaysia, which is brokering the talks, was expected to host a final round of negotiations in December before drawing up a peace agreement.
The deal would cover three areas: security, rehabilitation and ancestral domain. In previous talks, the two parties have agreed on the security and rehabilitation issues. "All the three agreements will be merged into a final peace agreement," the official said. Talks ended in a bitter impasse in September last year over the ancestral domain issue in the southern island of Mindanao, where the rebels have been waging a separatist rebellion since 1978.
Low-level and informal talks continued, despite sporadic clashes on the ground. MILF signed a truce with Manila in 2003, paving the way for formal negotiations with the government of President Gloria Arroyo.
Malaysia, current chair of the world's biggest Muslim grouping-the Organisation of the Islamic Conference-also leads a 60-strong monitoring mission in Mindanao. The official said Manila and MILF were expected to ask Malaysia to continue its mission after the mandate expires on December 4. "Malaysia is expected to agree to their request," she said.
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