Religious scholars (Ulama), traditional and political leaders, and representatives from civil society organizations of Muslim communities in the Zamboanga Peninsula called upon the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to resume the peace negotiations to settle the Mindanao problem.

"As we make this position ardently known, we are conscious of the fact that the greater majority of our people are eager for a meaningful result of the peace process through a comprehensive negotiated peace settlement that addresses our age–old political problem, not only to put an end to the ravages of war, but usher the peaceful and harmonious co–existence of the people in Mindanao who mutually aspires for progress and development," Ulama and civil society groups said in a statement.

Ulama and civil society groups on December 28, 2007 held a forum on peace process in Pagadian City.

The Ulama and civil society groups added, "... the recent meeting of the two parties (GRP–MILF) slated last November 15–17, 2007 in Malaysia that is expected to yield a concluding and final agreement from an arduous series of negotiations that lasted for ten long years, only ended in another dismal impasse as inessential and unreasonable propositions incongruent and opposed to significant points already agreed in previous talks were unnecessarily put forward."

The group appealed to all the groups participating in the talks "to take the needed sacrifices in favor of peace and muster enough courage to bring about the long–awaited peaceful settlement."

The group further appealed to other civil society groups and the international community "to take more compelling actions in helping promote peace in Mindanao and induce both parties not only to continue and sustain the implementation of agreed terms and conditions for the cessation of hostilities but cause the immediate resumption of the peace negotiations with the end result that a final agreement is reached."

"The repercussion that dreadfully looms as a result of failures in the peace process is unacceptable. We must always continue to pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. Violence by any measure is despicable, and for whatever reason, there will never be a good war. We must unite to stop it, " the Ulama and civil society groups said.

Earlier, in a joint statement signed November 15, 2007 by Chairpersons Rodolfo Garcia and Mohagher Iqbal of the GRP and MILF Peace Panels, respectively, who opened the talks in Kuala Lumpur on November 14, 2007 after a 14—month lull in the GRP and MILF peace negotiations maintained that the 14^th exploratory talks between GRP and MILF Peace Panels successfully ended with the resolution of outstanding issues on the territory strand of the ancestral domain aspect.

"Building on the progress attained during a previous month's special meeting with both sides affirming all previous points of consensus on the core items of the territory issue, both panels achieved significant headway in defining key principles relating to maritime domains," the joint statement said.

Both panels further said that the successful outcome of discussions clears the way for drafting the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain which will be among the agenda during the formal peace talks set in early 2008.

END

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