July 22, 2012 – The Peace Negotiating Panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commended the Malaysia-led international Monitoring Team (IMT) for the recent launch of its official website.

Jun Mantawil, Head of the Secretariat of the MILF Peace Negotiating Panel, conveyed the citation through this website saying “the IMT website (www.imtmindanao.org) is a very significant and timely accomplishment of the IMT, depicting its highest professionalism, dedication, objectivity and indispensability.”

“In behalf of the MILF Peace Negotiating Panel headed by Brother Mohagher Iqbal, we congratulate the entire officialdom and staff of IMT headed by His Excellency MGen Datuk Abdul Rahim bin Yusuff for this significant feat pursuant to its mandate being the international body monitoring the current peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and MILF, Mantawil said.

“We join the call on all the stakeholders of the peace process and the international community to regularly visit the IMT website being the neutral lens in promoting and advancing the peace process between the government and MILF,” he conveyed.

The International Monitoring Team – Mindanao was established in 2004 to monitor the implementation of the Agreement on Peace between the GPH and MILF 22 June 2001 and its implementing guidelines on the Security Aspects of 7th August 2001, the Implementing Guidelines on Humanitarian, Rehabilitation and Development Aspects of 7th May 2002, and Agreement on the Civilian Protection Component of 27 October 2009.

Presently, IMT is composed of the Governments of Malaysia, being the Head of Mission, Brunei, Japan, Libya, Indonesia, Norway and the European Union (EU). Tasked for its civilian protection mission are foru non-government organizations i.e. Belgium-based Nonviolent Peaceforce, Mindanao Human Rights Action Center (MINHRAC), Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC), and the Moslem Organization of Government Officials and professionals (MOGOP).

“The IMT website is a huge step forward in performing our mandate, especially considering the developmental role of Information Technology. The main aim of launching and updating the website is to promote the IMT to the locals besides updating our peers from all around the world on our activities and function here in Mindanao,” the IMT stated.