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Every Efforts Should Be Made To Get Open Negotiations Going As President Estrada Has Agreed To Withold Military Action IN And Around Jolo, Southern Philippines Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong after hearing the news that the 21 Sipadan hostages are safe. 5 May 2000 | |||||||
| On Day 13 of Sipadan hostage crisis, Malaysian Inspector-General of Police, IGP, said that the 21 hostages were safe after five-hour fighting between Philippine army and Abu Sayyaf, their abductors. It seems that a medical team was sent by the (Philippine) military to look for the hostages after the clash. This was revealed to the IGP by Philippine Armed Forces Vice-Chief of Staff and intelligence chief Genral Jose Calimlim. We hope this is true. As with many rumours on the crisis, we are always waiting for confirmation. Yesterday, Philippine President Joseph Estrada was quoted as giving his assurance that the crisis would be settled peacefully. It would be good if the Philippine President holds back his offensive until all the hostages are released. We do not know the actual motives and demands of Abu Sayyaf, Bearer of the Sword. Do they want RM10 million ransum, barter trade and fishing rights in the Sulu Sea or the release of three militant Muslim leaders including Ramzi Yousef, the man jailed for masterminding the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York? Do they accept Nur Misuari, the Mindanao Governor, as the Philippine Government's chief negotiator? President Estrada has rejected all the purported demands and has vowed to reduce the rebels to ashes. Such type of hostage-taking by rebels often show reasons that are not easily understood by less violent men. As Shakespeare says it in Macbeth:" Fair is foul and foul is fair." The tree falls not at the | |
first stroke. The turmoil in southern Philippines dates back hundreds of years, some say over four hundred years. Islam arrived over 500 years ago and Catholicism followed about 100 years later. There are four million Muslims, about 6 per cent of the Philippine population which is mainly Catholics. How many Abu Sayyaf members are there? Is it 600 or more? Are they demanding an independent Islamic state? Can the Philippine armed forces crush them in Basilan and Jolo islands? Are they financed by outsiders? Many have blamed them for kidnappings and killings such as in 1995 they slayed 53 people in Ipil, Mindanao, southern Philippines and the present two episodes of hostage-taking, the 21 Sipadan hostages and the 27 Basilan hostages (?15 released, 5 killed and four injured). We have stressed the urgency for open negotiations. The Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that negotiations were vital in effforts to release them. But, the Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad's special envoy Datuk Pandikar Amin Mulia was seen, on television, in Manila, smiling and seating around. According to the Deputy Prime Minister the envoy and his mission wanted to visit southern Philippines but was told that the time was unsuitable. After his meeting with the Philippine President, Datuk Pandikar Amin said:" Estrada does not discount the possibilty of using the military if other measures to resolve the issue come to a dead end." Can the special envoy stop frolicking in Manila and get to Jolo for negotiations with Abu Sayyaf and seeing the hostages?
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
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