Tamano dares ‘presidentiables’ to reveal Mindanao peace agenda

Posted on 25 March 2009

Tamano denounces Abu Sayyaf kidnappings By : Julmunir I. Jannaral, Correspondent Manila Times27 February 2009 12:10 AM
COTABATO CITY: A known stalwart of the political opposition and a Muslim leader on Wednesday broke his silence to denounce even his fellow Muslims engaged in criminal acts like what the Abu Sayyaf is doing in kidnapping even innocent people engaged in humanitarian work like the three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who remains in captivity since January 15.
Lawyer Adel Tamano, spokesman of the United Opposition and a new breed of Muslim leader these days, said kidnapping innocent people like the members of the ICRC is un-Islamic and should be condemned in its strongest sense.
“This is a great disservice to our religion of Islam,” Tamano said.
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Tamano told The Manila Times that “enough is enough” for Abu Sayyaf and all these kidnappings should stop once and for all as it has dragged the names of peace-loving Muslim Filipinos. He also sent a message to the Abu Sayyaf that if they are fighting in the name of Islam and for the sake of Bangsamoro people, they must not perpetrate kidnapping at the expense of the innocent.
“This act is more dastardly since the victims are members of an international organization which has been engaged for more than a century in non-sectarian humanitarian activities and along with the Red Crescent have long been recognized as a neutral organization which should not be harmed,” he added.
He likewise appealed to the kidnappers not to prolong the agony of the hostages in captivity, but to release them without further delay unharmed and unconditionally. He said the three ICRC workers, Swiss Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary-Jean Lacaba should be turned over already to the authorities in Sulu, since after all the Abu Sayyaf as reported is not demanding anymore ransom money for the release of the hostages.
Two weeks ago, Abu Ali, senior leader of the Abu Sayyaf had clarified to The Manila Times in a phone interview on the reported demand of the kidnappers for a $10 million ransom. “We are not demanding any amount of ransom in exchange of the release of the hostages,” Abu Ali said. “The report is a lie and devoid of truth, but was made to derail the process of negotiation,” he added.
But Abu Ali admitted that contrary to the previous acts of kidnapping, this time they are just doing it to gain attention of the government since they are not asking any ransom money anymore. He said what they are asking and still fighting for is the self-determination of the Moro people and their rights to establish their own Bangsamoro homeland separate and distinct from the Republic of the Philippines.
However, a confirmed source from Indanan, Sulu who is privy to the situation also told The Muslim Times on condition not to be identified, said the release of the ICRC hostages would be prolong for a number days, or it could drag on even for months since both the military and the Abu Sayyaf do not trust with each other and does not give in to their respective demand.
The Abu Sayyaf is demanding for the pullout of the military cordon that is now with the aide of civilian armed volunteers before the formal negotiation could take place. But the military has made an outright rejection of the demand for the doubt that the kidnappers would transfer the hostages to other place.
On the other hand, the kidnappers are also suspecting that if the military would not be returned to barrack, all of them would be annihilated right away once they had turned over the hostages to the authorities...
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