MNLF Chairman Prof. Nur Misuari spoke to the participants from his office in New Manila, Quezon City...urged them to work hard for the sake of peace in their homeland...

Reaffirming Commitment to Peace

Meeting of State Committees Composing the Cotabato Region

Bangsamoro News Agency
15 May 2008

 MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, Philippines - The sole and legitimate leader of the MNLF advised his officials, commanders, soldiers of peace, followers and constituents to all work hard in strengthening the foundational mechanisms of peace. In a half hour phone patch yesterday from his Office in New Manila, Quezon City, Philippines to a multitude of participants to an MNLF  Special Cluster Inter-State and National Units Command meeting  in Midsayap, North Cotabato, some 800 kilometers away, Chairman Nur Misuari urged his Bangsamoro people to tighten their unity and encouraged them  all to wage peace.

“We thank the Almighty Allah for this occasion to talk to you all through phone … we urge you all to maximize our march to peace and development,” he said. He congratulated the participants for their initiatives and sacrifices, and inspired them to work ever harder on behalf of our people and humanity.

Few days from now, he informed the assembly, a big multi-sectoral Summit of Bangsamoro leaders and Central Committee members, to include representatives from Lumad or  indigenous and Christian communities, will be held in Davao City. This will precede the scheduled 3rd Tripartite Meeting among GRP-OIC-MNLF Peace Panels which will also take place in the same city from May 26-29, 2008. This time, Chairman Nur Misuari will lead the MNLF Peace Panel. During the 1st and 2nd Tripartite meetings held respectively in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Istanbul, Turkey, the MNLF Panel was headed by Atty. Bong Parcasio and Vice Chairman Jimmy Labawan.

When the Chairman’s charismatic voice was aired, outpourings of joyous emotions and longings for his presence engulfed the chilly climate of Camp September 2, Sambulawan, Midsayap, North Cotabato, the venue where the meeting was held. Most of the more than 1,000 participants coming from the six State Committees comprising the Cotabato region were all teary- eyed. “They have long wanted to see Brother Nur again,” said Vice Chairman of the MNLF Jimmy Labawan.

Cotabato region is home to six  MNLF State   Committees, namely, Upper Sebangan Kutawato,  Lower Sebangan Kutawato, Northeast Kutawato, Central Kutawato, Western Kutawato and New Utara Kutawato. All their State Chairmen, Steering Committee members and representatives were present.

At the end of their meeting, they issued a resolution reaffirming their commitment  to the MNLF and its leadership.

“Strongly reaffirm our commitment to the strategic goals and objectives of the MNLF under the able leadership of His Excellency, Prof. Nur Misuari, the chairman of the MNLF Central Committee,” the resolution reads, among others.