VOA标准英语2008年-Philippine Panel on Muslim Rebellion Dismissed

（单词翻译）

The Philippine government has dismissed the panel of negotiators brokering¹ peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. VOA Correspondent Nancy-Amelia Collins in Jakarta has more.
　
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo² speaks on national television at Malacanang presidential palace in Manila (File)

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Wednesday said she had scrapped³ the government panel negotiating peace with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Mrs. Arroyo stressed the government is not abandoning the peace talks, but would, instead, implement⁴ a new approach that would entail⁵ wider and more direct dialogue with local communities in the volatile⁶ south, home to most Muslims in the Catholic majority country.

Mohaquer Iqbal, the MILF's chief peace negotiator, tells VOA the scrapping⁷ of the government peace panel raised serious concerns.

"As far as the situation on the ground and the peace process are concerned, especially in relation to the latest pronouncement of the government, they've disbanded their panel and they're suspending talks with the MILF. These are signs that are raising some serious concerns as far as we are concerned," said Iqbal.

The latest snarl⁸ in the peace process comes after the two sides hammered out an agreement, early last month, that would have given the MILF an expanded Muslim autonomous⁹ region, a key issue bogging¹⁰ down the talks.

Christian¹¹ politicians in the affected¹² areas challenged the agreement in the Supreme¹³ Court, which stopped the accord, triggering renewed fighting in the southern island, Mindanao.

Scores have died and hundreds of thousands of people left homeless after several rogue¹⁴ MILF commanders attacked several mainly Christian towns in Mindanao.

Mrs. Arroyo says the fighting must stop before talks can resume with the 11-thousand strong MILF.

But MILF chief negotiator Iqbal says the MILF will defend itself, if attacked.

"We are still observing the ceasefire, but we reserve the right to defend ourselves. We still value the peace process as the most practical and most civilized¹⁵ way of solving the conflict in Mindanao, but when it comes to something very serious on the part of the government - they attacking us, then we have to defer¹⁶ to defend ourselves which is the natural right of every man," added Iqbal.

Government forces have been ordered to ease air and ground assaults on suspected rebel lairs¹⁷, especially near Muslim communities and refugee centers, in observance this week of the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.