I Am Feeling More Hot
MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal warned of a return to full-scale hostilities.
'This is a grim scenario and I don't even want to think about it, but if the peace talks collapse then there will be war again in Mindanao, ' he told AFP.
Iqbal blamed hawkish factions of President Gloria Arroyo's government and local Christian politicians opposed to a Muslim homeland.
'The voice of reason is dwarfed by the voice of hatred and prejudice, ' he said. 'The peace talks are slowly breaking apart and if this continues, may God help us all.'
Talks to end the insurgency have been going on for 11 years, with a ceasefire officially in force since 2003.
The peace accord would have granted Muslims their own separate state across more than 700 villages in Mindanao, but the Supreme Court on August 4 halted the so-called Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.
The peace plan had sparked a series of protests from mostly Christian politicians and residents opposed to the inclusion of their areas into the so-called Bangsamoro (Muslim) Juridical Entity.
Several rebel MILF commanders have since ignored repeated calls by their leaders to stand down and launched attacks on civilians in towns and villages in many parts of Muslim Mindanao.
Some politicians have urged villagers to arm and defend themselves from rebel attacks. Armed militias have also been deployed to guard their communities against further atrocities.
On Saturday MILF chairman Ebrahim Murad called on Malaysia to help resume the peace talks to end weeks of brutal fighting in Mindanao.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the government would continue to pursue peace negotiations with the rebels even if the government enjoys a military advantage over them.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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