Representatives from the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are eyeing an international contact group to be part of the peace process as the negotiating panels for the two parties started to meet last week for the resumption of the peace talks.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special Concerns and GRP panel chairman Rafael Seguis, in a chance interview with reporters yesterday, said both parties are considering an “international contact group” that would assist, provide technical support and recommendations in the peace process.

He said the two parties may invite representatives from the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), European Union (EU), United Kingdom, USA, or Spain to be the international contact group for the peace process.

He however stressed that there is “no finality yet” as to what organization or country representative will be asked to become the international contact group.

Seguis also said both parties are still working on their “terms of reference,” adding that the next meeting for the consultations will be on August 20.

The peace talks may likely start in October “if (both parties) agree on the paperwork,” Seguis said.

Peace talks between the two parties had been pulled off last year after the Supreme Court did not allow the preliminary peace deal that would give MILF the control and autonomy over some areas in Central Mindanao.

The resumption of the peace talks between the GRP and the MILF this year had been lauded by the international community, with both parties suspending its military operations last month.

Meanwhile, in Kidapawan City, many stakeholders in the Mindanao peace process want the government and the MILF to allow local sectors to draft for themselves an acceptable blueprint for lasting peace in the South.

Also, many foreign-funded peace advocacy outfits have been pushing for the participation of civilians in maintaining peace in areas often rocked by hostilities between the military and the MILF.

Peace advocates, in a forum in Cotabato City last week, insinuated that civilians and non-government organizations, including the religious communities, can even help enforce security measures meant to prevent undue hostilities in many flashpoint areas, such as President Arroyo and the MILF’s separate declaration last month of suspension of military offensives in the South.

The forum on the role of civilians in local peacekeeping initiatives, jointly organized by the Institute on Autonomy and Governance (IAG), the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), and the Notre Dame University, was attended by representatives of the International Non-Violent Peace Force (NVPF), the International Peace Brigade, local peace-building groups funded by foreign donors, and members of the government and MILF’s joint ceasefire committee.

Atif Hameed, Philippine country director of the NVPF, said protection of civilians is the paramount objective on why it is important for them to be involved in maintaining tranquility in hostile areas in the south.

Hameed said tension in some hostile areas, sometimes, are unduly spawned and escalated by mere rumors, which are condoned by the lack of awareness among affected communities on the intricacies of peace initiatives meant to promote peace right in their villages.

Hameed lauded the IAG, managed by Oblate missionary Eliseo Mercado, Jr., and its partner, KAS, for having embarked on such forum to help disseminate the importance of public involvement in peacekeeping in conflict-stricken areas.

Religious and political leaders in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which was to be grouped, under the aborted MOA-AD, with dozens of Moro-dominated villages in other regions as part of the territory the MILF want to govern, are recommending the participation of local government units (LGUs) in the government's peace talks with the front.

Oscar Sampulna, ARMM’s regional executive secretary, said the chain of leadership in the region, from the area’s chief executive, Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, down to his five constituent-governors and mayors, has been very supportive of the GRP-MILF talks and, thus, wants ample representation in the 11-year-old negotiations. (with a report by Malu Cadelina Manar)