Explainer: The Mindanao peace process and the road to Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR: After three decades of peace negotiations, the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are attempting to finalize a 2014 agreement that seeks to end decades of conflict in Mindanao. The two parties will convene in Kuala Lumpur today to discuss the next steps in implementing the remaining commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

The dialogue will include discussions on the normalization program for former MILF combatants, a crucial aspect of the peace settlement. The conflict between the Philippine government and Moro separatist groups claimed over 120,000 lives and displaced millions. The CAB included provisions for a new autonomous region in Mindanao and the disarmament of MILF combatants.

Established in 2019, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is a key outcome of the settlement. Kuala Lumpur has been the neutral third-party facilitator of the peace process since 2001, hosting numerous rounds of negotiations and meetings to advance the implementation of the peace agreement. Malaysia's role includes maintaining communication between the parties and supporting the agreement's implementation.

The facilitation aims to ensure continuity as political leadership in Manila and the BARMM changes. Key dates in the peace process include the initiation of contacts in 1997, the signing of a ceasefire in July 1997, the resumption of talks in March 2001, the Framework Agreement in October 2012, the Comprehensive Agreement in March 2014, the establishment of the BARMM in 2019, and the upcoming Kuala Lumpur meeting to finalize the implementation roadmap.