AlQa'dah 9, 1434, Sep 15, 2013, SPA -- The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu is deeply disturbed by the reported resumption of violence that occurred in the city of Zamboanga and other places in Mindano in Southern Philippines. He condemned the loss of innocent lives and called for calm and maximum restraint to avoid further bloodshed and to allow peaceful resolution to these incidents. The OIC strongly rejects in a statement today all unlawful acts and expresses its deep concern at the shortcomings that occurred in the peace process which led to the resumption of violence and unlawful acts. The OIC calls for the resumption of the Tripartite Review Process as soon as possible in order to attend to the remaining unresolved issues that impedes the full implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) to pave the way for a just and durable peace in Mindanao. The OIC warns against the untimely termination of this process as it will create a vacuum that is not conducive to building peace or enhancing security. The OIC stands ready to offer all possible assistance to ease the tension and resume the peace process.
