By EDD K. USMAN
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The 57 foreign ministers of the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), who are gathered here for a conference on "Peace, Progress and Harmony," lauded President Arroyo for her government’s "fair treatment" of detained Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman Nur Misuari.
The influential Muslim body also appealed through the OIC’s 34th Session of Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) to the Philippine government to hasten the legal procedures in Misuari’s trial.
The appeal is contained in the 34th ICFM’s Draft Resolution No. 2-34-MM, with the final version to be released today, Thursday.
Dr. Parouk S. Hussin, head of the MNLF delegation participating in the conference, said the draft resolution "is as good as final as in similar instances in the past."
"It is very rare that the ICFM draft resolutions are revised although the foreign ministers can do it if any OIC member objects," said Hussin, stressing that the MNLF welcomed the draft resolution.
Earlier, OIC Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanuglo had appealed to President Arroyo for the "fair and just treatment" of the MNLF leader, who was detained on Jan. 7, 2002, for allegedly masterminding a revolt against the government in November, 2001.
In his address to the 34th ICFM on its opening day, Ihsanuglo cited the OIC’s interest on the Muslim minority issue in the Philippines.
Explained Ihsanuglo: "The question of Muslims in southern Philippines has always been the center of our preoccupations. We dispatched an OIC mission to Manila, which managed to persuade the Philippine Government to renew its commitment to the full implementation of the peace agreement concluded in 1996 with the MNLF and the OIC General Secretariat. A special meeting for this purpose is scheduled to take place in Jeddah during the month of July 2007."
In the draft resolution, the 34th ICFM "commends President Gloria Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, for her positive response to these efforts, and appeals to the Philippine government to expedite the legal procedures against him and see to his early release to enable him participate in the tripartite meeting scheduled to take place in Jeddah and continue his constructive role in leading the Bangsamoro people and achieve its aspiration for security, stability and development."
As an official observer in the OIC, the MNLF is the sole legitimate representative of the Bangsamoro people.
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