Peace deal with rebels agreed in Philippines

(Vatican Radio) There's a new hope for peace in the Philippines, after rebels agreed a peace deal ending a four-decade-long insurgency. The government of the largely Catholic country is to grant new autonomy to parts of the mainly Muslim south.

The Philippines president said his government had agreed to grant autonomy to the mainly muslim region known as Bangsamoro, beginning work now to give leaders there political independence and greater control over minerals and gas, a process that should be complete--President Benigno Aquino said--about four years from now.

120,000 people are thought to have died in four decades of unrest,in the Philippines authorities there blaming groups like this one...


...the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which this summer held a leadership rally to which it invited international observers.


The group said it was happy with the new agreement.There will now be talks on how to devolve power
and public votes will help determine the borders of the Bangsamoro autonomous area.

Meanwhile, Malaysia helped to broker peace talks. Its president said he was delighted with the outcome.

But within hours of the announcement one breakaway militant group said it would continue fighting for more than is being offered, it wants a fully independent Islamic state. Listen to Alastair Wanklyn’s report