The University of EdinburghPeace Agreements DatabasePeaceRep

Joint Statement between the GRP and MILF Peace Panels

  • Country/entity

    Philippines
    Mindanao
  • Region

    Asia and Pacific
    Asia and Pacific
  • Agreement name

    Joint Statement between the GRP and MILF Peace Panels
  • Date

    29 Jul 2009
  • Agreement status

    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement

    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level

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

    Pre-negotiation/process
  • Conflict nature

    Government/territory
  • Peace process

    Philippines - Mindanao process
  • Parties

    Rafael E. Seguis, Panel Chairman for the Government of the Republic of the Philippines;
    Mohagher Iqbal, Panel Chairman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
  • Third parties

    Datuk Othman Bin Abdul Razak, Facilitator, Representative of Malaysia
  • Description

    This Joint Statement provides for renewed commitment from the Parties to the resumption of the peace process, with both Parties agreeing on future work on framework agreements for the formation of an International Contact Group and the establishment of a mechanism to protect non-combatants in the armed conflict, in addition to the acknowledgement of the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) as an unsigned, yet initialed, document to which the Parties will reframe to bring about a political settlement.


Groups

  • Children/youth

    No specific mention.

  • Disabled persons

    No specific mention.

  • Elderly/age

    No specific mention.

  • Migrant workers

    No specific mention.

  • Racial/ethnic/national group

    No specific mention.

  • Religious groups

    No specific mention.

  • Indigenous people

    No specific mention.

  • Other groups

    No specific mention.

  • Refugees/displaced persons

    No specific mention.

  • Social class

    No specific mention.


Gender

  • Women, girls and gender

    No specific mention.

  • Men and boys

    No specific mention.

  • LGBTI

    No specific mention.

  • Family

    No specific mention.


State definition

  • Nature of state (general)

    No specific mention.

  • State configuration

    No specific mention.

  • Self determination

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum

    No specific mention.

  • State symbols

    No specific mention.

  • Independence/secession

    No specific mention.

  • Accession/unification

    No specific mention.

  • Border delimitation

    No specific mention.

  • Cross-border provision

    No specific mention.


Governance

  • Political institutions (new or reformed)

    No specific mention.

  • Elections

    No specific mention.

  • Electoral commission

    No specific mention.

  • Political parties reform

    No specific mention.

  • Civil society
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    4. Work for a framework agreement on the establishment of International Contact Group (ICG) of groups of states and non-state organizations to accompany and mobilize international support for the peace process.
  • Traditional/religious leaders

    No specific mention.

  • Public administration

    No specific mention.

  • Constitution

    No specific mention.


Power sharing

  • Political power sharing
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    2. Acknowledgement of MOA-AD as an unsigned and yet initialed document, and commitment by both parties to reframe the consensus points with the end in view of moving towards the comprehensive compact to bring about a negotiated political settlement;
  • Territorial power sharing
    Power sharing→Territorial power sharing→Autonomous regions
    Summary: the short reference to the MOA-AD is a reference to the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain which established a form of autonomy

    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    2. Acknowledgement of MOA-AD as an unsigned and yet initialed document, and commitment by both parties to reframe the consensus points with the end in view of moving towards the comprehensive compact to bring about a negotiated political settlement;
  • Economic power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Military power sharing

    No specific mention.


Human rights and equality

  • Human rights/RoL general
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    2. Work for a framework agreement on the establishment of a mechanism on the protection of non-combatants in armed conflict;
  • Bill of rights/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Treaty incorporation

    No specific mention.

  • Civil and political rights

    No specific mention.

  • Socio-economic rights

    No specific mention.


Rights related issues

  • Citizenship

    No specific mention.

  • Democracy

    No specific mention.

  • Detention procedures

    No specific mention.

  • Media and communication

    No specific mention.

  • Mobility/access

    No specific mention.

  • Protection measures
    Rights related issues→Protection measures→Protection of groups
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    2. Work for a framework agreement on the establishment of a mechanism on the protection of non-combatants in armed conflict;
  • Other

    No specific mention.


Rights institutions

  • NHRI

    No specific mention.

  • Regional or international human rights institutions

    No specific mention.


Justice sector reform

  • Criminal justice and emergency law

    No specific mention.

  • State of emergency provisions

    No specific mention.

  • Judiciary and courts

    No specific mention.

  • Prisons and detention

    No specific mention.

  • Traditional Laws

    No specific mention.


Socio-economic reconstruction

  • Development or socio-economic reconstruction

    No specific mention.

  • National economic plan

    No specific mention.

  • Natural resources

    No specific mention.

  • International funds

    No specific mention.

  • Business

    No specific mention.

  • Taxation

    No specific mention.

  • Banks

    No specific mention.


Land, property and environment

  • Land reform/rights

    No specific mention.

  • Pastoralist/nomadism rights

    No specific mention.

  • Cultural heritage

    No specific mention.

  • Environment

    No specific mention.

  • Water or riparian rights or access

    No specific mention.


Security sector

  • Security Guarantees
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    1. Mutual effort to sustain both the Government's Suspension of Military Offensives (SOMO) and the MILF's Suspension of Military Actions (SOMA);
    2. Acknowledgement of MOA-AD as an unsigned and yet initialed document, and commitment by both parties to reframe the consensus points with the end in view of moving towards the comprehensive compact to bring about a negotiated political settlement;
    3. Work for a framework agreement on the establishment of a mechanism on the protection of non-combatants in armed conflict;
  • Ceasefire
    Security sector→Ceasefire→General commitments
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    1. Mutual effort to sustain both the Government's Suspension of Military Offensives (SOMO) and the MILF's Suspension of Military Actions (SOMA);
  • Police

    No specific mention.

  • Armed forces
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    1. Mutual effort to sustain both the Government's Suspension of Military Offensives (SOMO) and the MILF's Suspension of Military Actions (SOMA);

    [...] The GRP Panel Chairman took serious note of the concern of the MILF on the implication of the exclusion from the SOMO of some MILF commanders tagged as 'rogues' by the Government.
  • DDR

    No specific mention.

  • Intelligence services

    No specific mention.

  • Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces
    Page 1,
    In their meeting, they agreed on the following:
    1. Mutual effort to sustain both the Government's Suspension of Military Offensives (SOMO) and the MILF's Suspension of Military Actions (SOMA);

    [...] The GRP Panel Chairman took serious note of the concern of the MILF on the implication of the exclusion from the SOMO of some MILF commanders tagged as 'rogues' by the Government.
  • Withdrawal of foreign forces

    No specific mention.

  • Corruption

    No specific mention.

  • Crime/organised crime

    No specific mention.

  • Drugs

    No specific mention.

  • Terrorism

    No specific mention.


Transitional justice

  • Transitional justice general

    No specific mention.

  • Amnesty/pardon

    No specific mention.

  • Courts

    No specific mention.

  • Mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Prisoner release

    No specific mention.

  • Vetting

    No specific mention.

  • Victims

    No specific mention.

  • Missing persons

    No specific mention.

  • Reparations

    No specific mention.

  • Reconciliation

    No specific mention.


Implementation

  • UN signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Other international signatory

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum for agreement

    No specific mention.

  • International mission/force/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Enforcement mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Related cases

    No specific mention.

  • Source
    UN Peacemaker; GRP-MILF Peace Process: Compilation of Signed Agreements & other related Documents (1997-2010); (MILF Peace Panel/Asia Foundation, 2010), p. 258.

JOINT STATEMENT

The Chairmen of the GRP and the MILF Peace Panels re-established official contact today under the auspices of the Malaysian Third Party Facilitator, to end nearly a year of impasse in the peace negotiations, and to complete the preparation for the resumption of the Talks.

The two-day Special Meeting ended on a high note with both sides expressing a common desire to restore trust and confidence in addressing major issues in order to pave way for the early resumption of the stalled peace negotiations.

In their meeting, they agreed on the following:

Mutual effort to sustain both the Government’s Suspension of Military Offensives (SOMO) and the MILF’s Suspension of Military Actions (SOMA);

Acknowledgement of MOA-AD as an unsigned and yet initialled document, and commitment by both parties to reframe the consensus points with the end in view of moving towards the comprehensive compact to bring about a negotiated political settlement.

Work for a framework agreement on the establishment of a mechanism on the protection of non-combatants in armed conflict;

Work for a framework agreement on the establishment of International Contact Group (ICG) of groups of states and non-state organizations to accompany and mobilize international support for the peace process.

The GRP Panel Chairman took serious note of the concern of the MILF on the implication of the exclusion from the SOMO of some MILF commanders tagged as “rogues” by the Government.

The Parties expressed their gratitude to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her desire and commitment to durable peace and sustainable development in Mindanao, and to Malaysian Prime Minister Data’ Sri Mohd.

Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak for his generous and steadfast support and assistance to the pursuit of these goals.

Their joint efforts largely contributed to this significant advancement in the GRP-MILF peace process.

Done this 29th day of July 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.