Terms of Reference for the Joint Normalization Committee

• Country/entity

  Philippines
  Mindanao
  
• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  
• Agreement name

  Terms of Reference for the Joint Normalization Committee
• Date

  22 Mar 2014
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - ) )
• Stage

  Implementation/renegotiation
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  Philippines - Mindanao process
• Parties

  Miriam Coronel Ferrer, GPH Panel Chair;
  Mohagher Iqbal, MILF Panel Chair
• Third parties

  Witnessed by: Tengku Dato' Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed, Malaysian Facilitator
• Description

  Agreement by the Parties regarding the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC), providing for the mandate, composition, organization, functions, which include overseeing and coordinating during normalization process throughout the transitional period, funding, and for a periodic review of this TOR. The Parties also agreed the JNC would continue to exist until the signing of an Exit Agreement, with possibilities for extension beyond the Exit Agreement.

• Agreement document

  PH_140322_ToR for JNC.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE JOINT NORMALIZATION COMMITTEE

I. REFERENCES

1. The Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the Parties on October 15, 2012.

2. The Annex on Normalization signed by the Parties on January 25, 2014.

II. MANDATE

The Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) shall undertake the primary function of coordinating the process of normalization.

Its objective is

to establish a functional system and effective mechanisms for coordinating all components of the normalization process.

Ill. COMPOSITION

The JNC shall be created by the GPH and the MILF Negotiating Panels.

It shall be composed of six (6) members.

It shall be cochaired by designated representatives of the GPH and the MILF, respectively.

Both Panels will designate two (2) representatives each to sit as members.

IV. ORGANIZATION

1. The JNC shall organize a secretariat and support staff commensurate to its technical, operational and administrative requirements.

The

JNC may promulgate its own internal rules of operation consistent with this Terms of Reference (TOR).

2. JNC personnel shall be covered by the Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities dated July 18, 1997 and its Implementing Operational Guidelines.

The JNC shall have its primary office in Cotabato City.

It may establish field offices in strategic locations in Mindanao to effectivly carry out its functions.

V. FUNCTIONS

1. Establish protocols, procedures and a detailed timeline for normalization on the basis of the agreements of the Parties;

2. Coordinate with the Independent Decommissioning Body on the decommissioning programs relating to the disposition of MILF forces and weapons;

3. Conduct joint security assessment with appropriate government agencies and make recommendations on the security conditions and

informational requirements in the Bangsamoro, including coordination for the employment and redeployment of security forces;

4. Create the Joint Peace and Security Committee (JPSC) and the Joint Peace and Security Teams (JPSTs) as specified in the Annex on

Normalization;

5. Supervise the transitional security arrangements through the JPSC;

6. Monitor the enhancement of the capacity of the police force to perform its law enforcement functions and the transition of law enforcement functions from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the police force for the Bangsamoro;

7. Coordinate and monitor the progress of the program for the disbandment of private armed groups (PAGs);

8. Coordinate and support dispute resolution initiatives on the ground;

9. Coordinate with the GPH and MILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of the Hostilities (CCCHs) and Ad Hoe Joint Action Group

(AHJAG) on matters relevant to the work of the JNC;

10. Monitor the implementation of socio-economic development programs for combatants and their immediate communities;

11. Resolve all disputes arising from the implementation of the normalization process before elevation to the Panels;

and

12. Coordinate all other processes in normalization and perform such other functions as may be directed by the Panels.

VI. DURATION

The JNC shall continue to exist until the signing of the Exit Agreement.

Based on need, the Parties may choose to extend the

operations of the JNC.

VII. REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The JNC shall submit periodic reports to the Panels on the progress of its work.

2. All other agencies, committees, and bodies directly involved in the GPH-MILF peace process and the normalization process may be provided copies of the reports through the Panels.

VIII.

FUNDING

1. The GPH shall provide funds for the operation of the JNC.

Regular funding for the operations of the JNC shall be sourced through a Bangsamoro normalization fund mechanism.

2. The JNC shall undertake resource mobilization from donor contributions to supplement the budgetary requirements provided under the Bangsamoro normalization fund mechanism.

The Parties agree to allow either party to access funds from donors for the operations of the different mechanisms under the normalization process.

IX. REVIEW AND AMENDMENT

The Parties shall conduct a periodic review of this TOR.

Either party may propose amendments to this TOR and shall be effective upon

approval of the Parties.

Done this 22nd day of March 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

FOR THE GPH:

MIRIAM CORONEL FERRER, GPH Panel Chair

FOR THE MILF:

MOHAGHER IQBAL, MILF Panel Chair

SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF:

TENGKU DATO' AB GHAFAR TENGKU MOHAMED, Malaysian Facilitator