Pagpati'ut - Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

HD TEAM AND MBLT-3
MEDIATION MEETING AT
MASJID PUNJUNGAN,
KALINGGALAN CALUANG
I. INTRODUCTION & CONTEXT
In March 2005, the HD Centre entered Sulu to understand more deeply
the causes of violence and the reasons for the resurgence of the armed
wing of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GPH) and the MNLF
had signed a Final Peace Agreement in 1996. However, this agreement
never really brought peace to Sulu or to Mindanao more broadly. Following
two parties agreed to establish the GPH-MNLF Peace Working Group
(PWG) in Sulu, whose goal is to prevent and resolve incidents between
the two parties 1 The HD Centre was
asked to oversee the group and stationed an expatriate in Sulu to assist
the parties.
4
1 The PWG had the following mandate:
1. Jointly identify existing and potential security problems;
2. Jointly identify and develop plans and programs for resolving security problems in
Sulu for review by the respective GRP and MNLF panels;
3. Jointly resolve conflict when required and mandated to;
4. Identify existing and potential human rights concerns;
5. Engage with all stakeholders in identifying and reviewing security problems, resolving
conflict and recommending programs for a long term and sustainable resolution;
6. Engage with all armed elements contributing to the conflict in Sulu;
7. Identify and help assist in resolution of humanitarian impact of conflicts such as IDPs.