The network, dubbed as “Mindanao Peaceweavers,” noted in a statement read during a press conference here announcing the launching of the group tomorrow at the Tanghalang Michael Clark of the Notre Dame University in Cotabato City, that both the government and the MILF have been “perennially” announcing the holding of formal peace negotiations “next month” since re-declaring a ceasefire in July 2003.

Not once, however, did the peace panels convene as the talks only progressed through exploratory and back channeling peace negotiations which are non “official panel activity,” according to a Peaceweavers statement read Saturday by Gus Miclat, director of the Initiatives for International Dialogue which serves as the peace network’s secretariat, at the Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency here.

“What is causing the delay in the resumption of the talks? The last formal talks was in October 2001, almost a long three years ago,” Miclat said as he called on both sides to resume formal negotiations at “the soonest possible time.”

Jose Akmad, chair of the Mindanao People’s Caucus which forms part of the Peaceweavers, noted that while the July 2003 ceasefire continue to hold, a series of pockets of violence recently sweeping the towns of Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Datu Piang, Mamasapano in Maguindanao and in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat are posing “serious” threats to the relative peace presently prevailing in the island.

The Peaceweavers statement expressed fears that these violent incidents “can be harbingers of a renewed outbreak of full-scale war.” Miclat also said that these series of clashes could be exploited by groups opposed to a peace settlement in Mindanao and use it to start off renewed hostilities between government and Moro rebel forces.

Akmad said that “fortunately,” the recent clashes in some parts of Central Mindanao were prevented from spreading all over the region and across Mindanao primarily due to the strong presence and active efforts by the Joint government-MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) in de-escalating the armed conflicts. He said without the CCCH members’ “quick interventions,” these skirmishes “could have caused the full collapse of the ceasefire.”

Akmad, however, said that members of the joint ceasefire monitors can only stop the outbreak of the armed fighting but not settle and prevent it from recurring.

“These local conflicts are like hot iron. Should there be more conflicts, the ceasefire monitors will find these local conflicts too hot to handle,” Akmad said.

The Peaceweavers called on the Malaysian government ,which is facilitating the talks to “nudge” the warring parties, to “fast-track the resumption” of the talks.

“A further delay in the negotiation would be denying Mindanao its long sought peace,” the Peaceweavers statement noted.

A Sept. 23 update released by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) said the final schedule of the formal peace negotiations “will be determined by the Malaysian government (being Third Party Facilitator), in consultation with the MILF and government peace panels.”

OPAPP notes that “in the meantime, the (government) panel continues to direct its efforts towards the implementation of signed agreements on the security and rehabilitation aspects of the final peace agreement.”

The Peaceweavers statement, however, said that while they recognize “positive developments” in the peace process, “these cannot substitute for formal peace negotiations.”

The network noted that formal peace talks will boost ceasefire monitoring efforts and the implementation of the signed interim agreements on relief, rehabilitation and developments.

It said formal talks are also important in settling the issues concerning ancestral domain and in paving the way for a “comprehensive and lasting political settlement of the Mindanao conflict.”

The Peaceweavers claimed that it represent “the broadest network of peace constituency” in Mindanao with members coming from non-government organizations, academe, the religious, human rights groups, people’s organization and grassroots communities.

It also includes as convenors major Mindanao-based peace networks, in particular, the Agong Network of conflict mediators and educators; the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, the Mindanao Peace Advocates Conference, Mindanao People’s Peace Movement, the Mindanao Solidarity Network in Metro Manila, Peace Advocates of Zamboanga and the MPC.