Philipines: Moro rebels disapproving of autonomy framework

A formerly secessionist Filipino rebel group has said it is disappointed that government negotiators "started practically from scratch" with their autonomy offer but failed to delineate an expanded area where the policy could be implemented. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) also lambasted the lack of dynamics in the autonomy proposal for Filipino-Muslims in the southern Philippines. The Luwaran website of the MILF said the Philippine government had proposed greater autonomy for Filipino-Muslims but left the issue of a wider Moro homeland for Filipino-Muslims in Mindanao hanging, including a clear plan that showed how such a solution could eventually be achieved. The group said the proposals were more like a roundabout "formula to prolong the [14-year-old] peace talks" and "way below expectations". The two-day talks between government negotiators and the MILF in Kuala Lumpur — held on Monday and Tuesday — almost collapsed with the MILF taking nearly three hours to respond to the government's proposed peace deal, said MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal. The MILF negotiators had even urged the MILF central committee to reject the deal, Iqbal said.