Muslim rebels want U.S. Secretary of State to drop by in S Philippines

Muslim rebels wants U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to visit volatile southern Philippines to look into the situation a year after fighting erupted following the failure of signing of a deal that would suppose give autonomy to the area.

Clinton will visit the country next week for talks with top Philippine officials that are expected to include human rights issues.

"We join the entire Filipinos in welcoming her. It would be good too if she can proceed to Mindanao as a gesture of good will," Moro Islamic Liberation Front vice chair for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar told Xinhua by phone Sunday.

This will be Clinton's first visit to the Philippines as U.S. Secretary of State where she will making a courtesy call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and will meet with her Philippine counterpart Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo.

The United States has been supporting the peace process between Manila and the MILF.

Last month, top Washington officials from Manila held a secret meeting with Muslim rebel leaders in Maguindanao province where they reaffirmed U.S. support to the peace talks between Manila and the MILF.

The MILF briefed U.S. diplomats about the currently peace negotiation situation that is moving forward.

Last year, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney also secretly met Murad in Darapanan where she assured the rebel group of her country's support to the peace talks.

The peace talks between the government and the 11,800-member MILF collapsed in August 2008 after the two sides failed to sign an agreement on ancestral domain, prompting some rebel commanders to launch deadly attacks on Christian communities in Mindanao.

Ancestral domain refers to the MILF's demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland.

It is the last remaining hurdle for a final political settlement that is expected to end the four decades of Muslim insurgency that has claimed more than 120,000 lives. Once signed, both sides are expected to work towards a final peace deal that would include plans for the future of the MILF rebels.

Jaafar said negotiation would resume anytime in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Source:Xinhua