Indonesian Embassy to Manila, Yohannes Kristiarto Soeryo Legowo, officially welcomed the contingent of International Monitoring Team (IMT) on Sunday (01/06) at the Indonesian Embassy in Manila. The team consisted of 10 military personnel and 5 civil personnel. Joining the official welcome were the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, Secretary Teresita Deles, and several representatives of Philippines government.
Today 902/06), the Indonesian IMT and Indonesian Ambassador to Manila will visit the IMT Headquarter in Cotabato City, Mindanao. The Ambassador will hand over this team to the Head of IMT Mission at the Headquarter.
“The Indonesian IMT Contingent will participate in a provisioning program for about 3-7 days in Cotabato City and be transferred to a number of team sites in Mindanao,” wrote the press release of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila to the Foreign Ministry Portal.
With this, Indonesia has actively participated in two tracks of peace negotiation in the Philippines. The first one was between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by sending an IMT Contingent.
The second one was between the Philippine government and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) by acting as the Chair of Peace Committee in South Philippines under the OIC whose duty was to review the implementation of Peace Agreement between the Philippine government and MNLF Year 1996 since 2007.
Since 2004 the Philippine government and MILF agreed to form an IMT to monitor the peace negotiation between the two parties and prevent any armed conflict in Mindanao.
On 9 December 2009, the Philippine and MILF officially requested Indonesia to join the IMT. Indonesia’s approval to join the IMT was officially announced by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during a state visit from the President of Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III, on 8 March 2012 to Jakarta. (Source: Indonesian Embassy in Manila/Ed.PY)