MILF WELCOMES US ASSISTANCE BUT WANTS HELP ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MANILA 000594 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2012 TAGS: PREL EAID MOPS MA RP SUBJECT: MILF WELCOMES US ASSISTANCE BUT WANTS HELP ON POLITICAL SOLUTION REF: 06 MANILA 4802 Classified By: DCM Paul W. Jones, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. In a meeting in Sultan Kudarat with Embassy delegation led by DCM on February 15, MILF Central Committee members expressed appreciation for U.S. assistance programs in Mindanao, including our military's civil-humanitarian and medical programs and ship visits. However, they underscored that developmental assistance would not be successful without a political "solution" in Mindanao. They urged that the USG convince the Philippine government to take a more sympathetic look at MILF territorial claims, while expressing interest in the government's recent "self-determination" proposal. The International Monitoring Team remains optimistic about the cease-fire, and looks forward to eventual Swedish and Canadian participation. Cotabato City Mayor Sema described ongoing MILF/MNLF dialogue and greater internal MNLF unity, but downplayed the prospects for a campaign by MNLF founder Nur Misuari as governor of Sulu. Our ongoing dialogue with the MILF leadership appears to be bearing fruit, as the MILF is clearly opening up and seeking to involve other parties in securing peace. The Central Committee remains narrowly focused on maximizing territory under a new Muslim political entity, however, and was not yet ready to accept our initiatives to inaugurate local USAID development projects or tour the visiting USS Blue Ridge in General Santos City. End Summary. BRIEFING THE MILF CENTRAL COMMITTEE -------------- ¶2. (C) DCM on February 15 led an Embassy delegation composed of Pol/C, USAID director, DATT, JSOTF-P commander, and A/RSO to meet with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's Central Committee at the MILF headquarters in Sultan Kudarat in Shariff Kabunsuan province. Although Chairman al-Hadji Murad Ebrahim did not appear as promised, Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar, Chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, MILF peace panel member Attorney Lanang Ali, Foreign Affairs chief Ahmad Uli, and Education chief Ustadz Adul Salam Mohammed were present for the two hour meeting. ¶3. (C) At the DCM's request, the USAID director outlined our current and planned developmental programs throughout Mindanao. He noted that 60 pct of our overall assistance is targeted on Conflict Affected Areas of Mindanao, totaling about US$250 million over the past six years. He highlighted successful partnerships, including with the private sector, and noted the upcoming beginning of the third phase of the Growth with Equity in Mindanao program. He emphasized that our assistance did not depend on an eventual Philippine/MILF peace accord but was already widespread and multi-faceted. He reaffirmed that USAID would launch a livelihood/reintegration program within two weeks of the signing of a peace accord, working with the Bangsamoro Development Agency and the MILF leadership. He described the integrated approach involving diplomatic, political, economic, military, and assistance components as well as international donors through the Mindanao Trust Fund. (Note: We had invited MILF Central Committee members to join DCM and delegation to inaugurate a near-by USAID-funded trading center immediately after our meeting, but they did not take us up on the opportunity. End note) ¶4. (C) Pol/C noted that the USG was not playing a role in the peace negotiations under the mediation of the Malaysian government and was not taking sides on the shape or composition of the eventual outcome, just as the USG did not take sides in Philippine elections or on domestic political issues such as charter change. He emphasized our concern for fair, legal, and constitutional processes. He underscored that the overall USG goals for Mindanao and all of the Philippines were peace and prosperity, and that we were working with partners to achieve this wherever conditions of peace and security permitted and where communities had made this their choice, rather than violence, insurgency, or terrorism. He cited growing zones of peace and prosperity, which would be a green light for additional domestic and foreign investment to provide better lives for peace-loving families throughout Mindanao and rest of the Philippines. ¶5. (C) The JSOTF-P commander described the U.S. military's training of and assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to improve our and their capabilities and to help Philippine residents with medical, engineering, and logistics projects, including under the Balikatan umbrella. He discussed eight medical missions that would take place in MANILA 00000594 002 OF 004 Central Mindanao under BK 07, as well as an upcoming visit to Cotabato City by the USS Peleliu, including medical and engineering projects locally. ¶6. (C) The D/RSO discussed the USG's Rewards for Justice program and provided printed materials to distribute in MILF areas, which the MILF leaders promised to do. DCM cited in particular rewards for wanted terrorists Zukifli bin hir (aka Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman, who were believed to be hiding in areas under the control of MILF base commands. Jaafar insisted that Basit was not and had never been a MILF member but was a native, unlike the Jemaah Islamiyah's Marwan, Patek, and Dulmatin, for whom he promised the MILF would be on the lookout. Iqbar noted the "mysterious" circumstances under which Basit had escaped from a Philippine jail in 2002, implying that Basit may have links to the Philippine government. (Comment; We have no/no reason to support this view. End comment) ¶7. (C) The DATT discussed the ongoing visit of the Seventh Fleet's flagship USS Blue Ridge, including a stop in General Santos City, as part of the Pacific Command's "Pacific Horizon" program. The DCM extended invitations for the MILF leaders to a special tour and to attend the reception aboard the Blue Ridge on February 17. Jaafar thanked the DCM for the invitation, saying he would contact DCM if they could attend (but never did). MILF RESPONSES -------------- ¶8. (C) Vice Chairman Jaafar expressed appreciation for these briefings. He emphasized that the "MILF knows best" regarding the needs of its people and should play a central role in determining developmental programs. DCM pointed out USAID's close cooperation with the Bangsamoro Development Agency, which Jaafar acknowledged was under the direct supervision of the MILF Central Committee. ¶9. (C) Chief negotiator Iqbar insisted that the MILF leadership was more interested in political rather than economic aspects, and claimed that developmental programs absent support for a political solution was a form of counter-insurgency effort that would never succeed. He commented that all parties needed to resolve the central political issues first, otherwise there would be no lasting peace, citing the example of the Moro National Liberation Front. Jaafar agreed that, while the MILF "did not object" to what USAID and other donors were doing in Mindanao, a political solution must come first. He admitted that the MILF would always "support projects that benefit our people." ¶10. (C) Jaafar insisted that the USG could offer its "good ideas" on the peace talks to the Philippine government. He said that this should not be seen as interference or a breach of Malaysia's facilitation role -- but even if it was, "we don't care." Attorney Ali also commented that "if we settle the political issue, assistance and other programs could continue." He urged the USG to offer any "bright ideas" that would move the Philippine government toward a "favorable settlement" because the Philippine government would "listen to the U.S." He added that "your commitment to help the talks succeed will help." Iqbar cited the MNLF peace accord, which had left the MNLF "defeated politically." Jaafar admitted that development projects were part of a political solution, but that development itself would not "solve" political problems. ¶11. (C) DCM asked about the MILF's response to the Philippine government's recent "self-determination" proposal. Attorney Ali said it was a very intriguing proposal. Jaafar explained that self determination was a long-standing MILF demand the government had previously rejected. Jaafar quickly turned the conversation back to territory, reiterating that the MILF wanted the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity to include "all areas traditionally occupied by the Bangsamoro people" in a contiguous territory that would include majority Christian localities. The government would have Muslim-governed areas divided into a patchwork, he said. He denied that resolving territorial issues in mixed Christian-Muslim areas was difficult, claiming "it is very simple!" Attorney Ali noted that the Philippine government had to "figure out how" to deliver Christian majority areas to a Muslim juridical entity, whether by Constitutional processes or Executive action. Iqbar reminded the delegation about earlier Philippine promises over territory to the MNLF, which were then defeated in referendums. Jaafar claimed that MANILA 00000594 003 OF 004 the MILF was in constant and increasingly "successful" dialogue with the MNLF, as well as NGOs and other Bangsamoro groups. He admitted that there "cannot be two governments for one place" -- a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity could not co-exist with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Iqbar cited as an interesting model USG agreements with Native Americans, treating them as "nations," and said the Philippine government should agree on creating a "state within the state." ¶12. (C) Jaafar forcefully denied the existence of an MILF Special Operations Group. He pledged that the MILF was "very interested in peace" and that the Central Committee would "work hard to establish peace." He welcomed the opportunity to continue dialogue with the U.S. Embassy. IMT Optimistic -------------- ¶13. (C) In a separate meeting at the Cotabato City headquarters of the International Monitoring Team, Head of Mission Major General Dato' Md Ismail "Smile" bin Ahmad Khan said that the cease-fire was "holding well," with dramatically fewer incidents and fewer internally displaced persons, and expressed optimism about the future. He admitted that the peace process nonetheless remained "fragile," with many actors with suspicious motives. The IMT now covers sixteen out of Mindanao's 22 provinces, with a total of 57 members, including the new Japanese development expert as well as the troops from Malaysia, Brunei, and Libya. He said that Canada and Sweden were now finalizing details about their participation, focusing on governance and development, respectively. He expressed eagerness to work with JSOTF-P on future medical missions. Mayor Sema and the MNLF -------------- ¶14. (C) Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema, a member of the MNLF's Council of 15, reaffirmed his commitment to security and counter-terrorism efforts in Central Mindanao. He discussed the recent hostage-taking by MNLF elements of the AFP's Major General Dolorfino on Jolo, which he claimed had not been "planned" but erupted because Dolorfino did not come to the MNLF prepared with "blood money" for alleged MNLF troops killed by the AFP in a recent encounter. He claimed that the MNLF had held a meeting during the week of February 5 that had "reunited it," despite some minor "grey areas." He expressed worry about some new "violent factions" who believe that the MNLF had been "deceived" by the 1996 peace accord, which is why the MNLF looks forward to the upcoming review of implementation of the 1996 agreement in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by the Organization of Islamic Collective, the Philippine government, and the MNLF. He expressed a strong hope that MNLF founder Nur Misuari would not run for governor of Sulu, as rumored. ¶15. (C) Sema confirmed that the MILF and MNLF continued a dialogue, but had not come to terms about a possible Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. He insisted that any future political arrangement should not result in "hamlet-ing" Muslim residents or isolating anyone, including Christians. He expressed a desire for an "inclusive" solution that would not be exactly either the ARMM or the MILF-envisioned BJE. He said that he had not read the Philippine government's latest self-determination offer, but commented that it was "potentially good." ¶16. (C) Mayor Sema also expressed a warm welcome for upcoming ship visits and humanitarian projects. Comment -------------- ¶17. (C) The MILF has also met in recent days with delegations from the European Union and Japan. It is clearly opening up and seeking to involve other parties in influencing a final outcome that maximizes the territory under a new Muslim political entity. The MILF leaders expressed surprisingly little interest in JSOTF-P and DAO programs, beyond a fairly warm welcome. They were well versed on many USAID projects in their area, as well as insistent on their "right" to guide future development programs. They appear nonetheless to be worried that the "political solution" they seek with the Philippine government is still out of reach, and want additional help from us and others. MANILA 00000594 004 OF 004 Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm KENNEY