By Mahmut Atanur
COTABATO CITY, Philippines (AA) – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) held a meeting Sunday to evaluate the recent approval of a law on comprehensive autonomy for Moro Muslims.
More than a hundred thousand Moro Muslims gathered in Darapanan Camp in Cotabato City to discuss the Bangsamoro Organic Law approved by President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday.
Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim, MILF chairman, Ghadzali Jaafar, vice chairman for political affairs and Mohagher Iqbal, head of information committee were among the people who addressed the meeting.
They highlighted the gains made through the law and expressed pleasure over the end of conflicts in the region.
Ebrahim said in a statement after the meeting that development, investment and economic improvements were important for their region, and they would continue to be in touch with the central government on many such issues.
He said efforts to hold a referendum on the law were important.
The law provides for increasing the legal and economic earnings of the Muslims in the region, giving more comprehensive autonomy to those living on the islands around Mindanao, which has a large Muslim population.
More than 120,000 people lost their lives and two-million people were made refugees in over 40 years of conflict between the government and the Moro.
Today, the population of Moro people is over 10 million. Regions that have the highest Moro population are respectively listed as Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi Tawi and Basilan.
