MESSAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY IDB CHAIRMAN FATIH ULUSOY ON THE SUBMISSION OF MILF LIST OF COMBATANTS AND WEAPONS FOR DECOMMISSIONING
25 March 2019, Cotabato City
IDB Chairman HE Fatih Ulusoy delivering his message of acceptance of the MILF list of combatants and weapons, on 25 March 2019.
Assalamu Alaykum!
On behalf of the Independent Decommissioning Body, I would like to congratulate the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on the Progress of the Implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro. The GPH-MILF peace process has reached another significant milestone today.
I am deeply honored to be here with you as we embark in the next phase of the Bangsamoro normalization process. We are especially grateful to the MILF for their relentless effort towards fulfilling their commitment.
Today’s submission of the MILF list of combatants and weapons commences the important task of decommissioning which as provided for in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro allows the transition of the combatants to productive civilians.
IDB, as the mechanism mandated to oversee the decommissioning of MILF, has long been preparing to ensure that this process will be dealt with utmost professionalism, integrity and confidentiality.
We have established necessary methodologies to ensure that our work will be done efficiently. We will work closely with the different normalization mechanisms to make this happen, and together, we hope that this will open the doors for transition and a new life for combatants.
We encourage the parties to maintain the positive momentum and progress towards a lasting peace in Mindanao.
In closing, let me reiterate the commitment of the IDB member countries - Government of Turkey, Norway and Brunei of our continuing support to the Bangsamoro peace process.
Wassalam!
