COTABATO CITY, Philippines–The Moro National Liberation Front under the new leadership of Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin G. Sema held its First Command Conference last 7 March 2009 at Pasil, Indanan, Sulu right at the residence and home place of the reconfirmed Bangsamoro Armed Forces (BAF) Chief of Staff Yusop Jikiri who is also Congressman of Sulu.
As part of the reorganizational process in order to bring back the mainstream MNLF into a better shape, the holding of the Command Conference has given a new dimension of strength to the military organization of the MNLF as it steadfastly prepare to protect the lives and properties of the Bangsamoro People in their aspiration for peace and prosperity and as a sovereign people in their homeland.
The conference was attended by almost two hundred veteran fighters from different state committees in the entire Mindanao area, including senior leaders and members of the Central Committee since the time of Nur Misuari until he bolted out from the mainstream MNLF and founded another group with new breed of leaders.
Gracing the conference as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bangsamoro Armed Forces, MNLF Chairman Muslimin Sema came all the way from mainland Mindanao together with his military entourage and was warmly welcomed by Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin who publicly stated during a press conference his support for Sema’s leadership.
“The majority of the old members and cadres of the MNLF are seen around with Mayor Sema. I believe that this group is the majority and the minority should follow,” Amin said.
During the conference proper, Chairman Sema centered his speech on how to preserve the gains of 1996 GRP-MNLF Final Peace Agreement. He repeatedly emphasized that they were “here to solidify the strength of the Moro National Liberation Front in order to win in the battle of the peace process so that we may able to leave a legacy of a genuine peace for our children”. However, he also remarked that “in the course of struggle, if we can not win this fight for peace through the realization of the Final Peace Agreement, we are afraid that our generations to come might carry the culture of war in their minds and will continue another decade, if not centuries of war.”
BAF Chief of Staff Yusop Jikiri called for unity and military discipline at this point and stressed that “No one is above the law, (and) while we adopted the Charter of the MNLF, any decision taken which involved particularly military matters, should be in consultation with the ground commanders.”
Many consider the recently held Command Conference as breakthrough for the mainstream MNLF to push through with the revitalization of the rank and file of its military organization.
Sema said they are doing this kind of activity to find better ways on how they can effectively contribute as peace partner of the government.
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