International Monitoring Team | |
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Abbreviation | IMT |
Motto | Together We Make it Happen [1] |
Agency overview | |
Formed | October, 2004 |
Dissolved | June 2022 |
Volunteers | 60 |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | Philippines |
Legal jurisdiction | Mindanao |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Cotabato City, Philippines |
Multinational agency | Philippines |
Nationalities of personnel |
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The International Monitoring Team (IMT) was a monitoring team composed of 60 members headquartered in Cotabato City, Mindanao of the Philippines to monitor the implementation of peace between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and one of the largest rebels in the region, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the Moro conflict. The team is led by Malaysia, [2] followed by Brunei Darussalam, [3] Indonesia, [4] Japan, [5] Libya, [6] Norway [7] and subsequently the European Union. [8]
The IMT was launched in October 2004 by Malaysia together with Brunei and Libya to oversee the situation after the GPH and MILF signed their ceasefire agreement in 2003. [9] In October 2006, Japan began to join the monitoring team. [5] Armed conflict however still resumed and the security situation deteriorated until August 2008 when the national co-ordination surrounding resolutions of pending land problems failed. [5] During the period, the lead was taken by Libya which then rose skepticism from the MILF over the slowing process. [10] Malaysia then decided to withdraw its contingent in November 2008 and the IMT temporarily suspended its activities in 2009. [5] The IMT became active again in February 2010, [11] the same year when Norway began to join the monitoring team. [12] Indonesia also joined the IMT in 2011 after being invited by the Philippines in 2009. [13]
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front would sign the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014. This in turn led to Bangsamoro autonomous region being formed in the southern Philippines in 2019 as part of the peace process. In March 2022, the Philippine government led by President Rodrigo Duterte informed that the IMT that it would no longer extend its mission. The IMT officially left the Philippines in June 2022. [14]
At its peak the IMT had 60 personnel but this figure gradually decreased over time. [14]
Malaysia
•Ministry of Defence •Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Indonesia
Brunei
Libya (2004-2009)
IMT was responsible in monitoring the security, humanitarian, rehabilitation and development aspects, as well as socio-economic assistance and civilian protection. [2]
IMT covered the areas of: [2]
Notable servicemen who took part in the IMT are:
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is an Islamist group based in Mindanao, Philippines, seeking an autonomous region of the Moro people from the central government. The group has a presence in the Bangsamoro region of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, Palawan, Basilan, and other neighbouring islands. The armed wing of the group was the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), although the name of its parent organization, the MILF, was often used to refer to the BIAF. In July, 2018, the Philippine government passed the Bangsamoro Organic Law, giving more autonomy to Muslims. In return, MILF announced that it would disarm its 30,000 fighters.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was an autonomous region of the Philippines, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that consisted of five predominantly Muslim provinces: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. It was the only region that had its own government. The region's de facto seat of government was Cotabato City, although this self-governing city was outside its jurisdiction.
The Moro people or Bangsamoro people are the 13 Muslim-majority ethnolinguistic Austronesian groups of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan, native to the region known as the Bangsamoro. As Muslim-majority ethnic groups, they form the largest non-Christian population in the Philippines, and comprise about 5% of the country's total population, or 5 million people.
The Moro conflict was an insurgency in the Mindanao region of the Philippines which involved multiple armed groups. A decades-long peace process has resulted in various peace deals have been signed between the Philippine government and two major armed groups, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), but other smaller armed groups continue to exist. In 2017, the peace council settled around 138 clan conflicts.
The Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) is a decoration awarded to members of the Singapore Armed Forces for exceptionally distinguished performance or extraordinary service, or the furtherance of links with overseas forces.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao general elections was held in the ARMM for the regional governor, vice-governor posts and election of members of the ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly on August 11, 2008. The electronic voting used is the first in Philippines election history. The ₱500 million COMELEC's "ARMM balloting" is a pilot program for the 2010 national polling.
Formal peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the various armed groups involved in the Moro conflict began in 1976 when the Government of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front first met to negotiate towards the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, and most recently reached a major milestone in the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) through a plebiscite in 2018, leading to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. However, conflicts with other smaller armed groups continue to exist.
The Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) was the final peace agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on March 27, 2014 at the Malacañang Palace in Manila, which eventually led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (often referred to simply as the Bangsamoro, in January 2019.
The Bangsamoro Organic Law, also known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), and officially designated as Republic Act No. 11054, is a Philippine law that provided for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
An autonomous region of the Philippines is a first-level administrative division that has the authority to control a region's culture and economy. The Constitution of the Philippines allows for two autonomous regions: in the Cordilleras and in Muslim Mindanao. Currently, Bangsamoro, which largely consists of the Muslim-majority areas of Mindanao, is the only autonomous region in the country.
The 1976 Tripoli Agreement was signed on December 23, 1976 in Tripoli, Libya by Carmelo Z. Barbero, representing the Government of the Philippines and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front. The agreement defined autonomous administrative divisions for Muslims in the southern Philippines, the establishment of an autonomous government, judicial system for Sharia law and special security forces, and the observance of a ceasefire. The autonomous region was to have its own economic system, including an Islamic bank.
Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Halbi bin Haji Mohammad Yussof is a Bruneian nobleman, military officer, and politician, who currently serves as a Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Defence II. He is a former member of the Legislative Council of Brunei, and previously served as the Minister of Defence II from 2018 to 2022, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from 2015 to 2018, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), and Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF).
Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Haji Abidin is a retired Bruneian commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) who serves from 2009 until 2014 and also the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) from 2018 until 2022. Additionally, he led the first Bruneian contingent attached to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao.
Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Mohammad Tawih bin Abdullah is a Bruneian nobleman and military officer who became the 9th Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) who serves from 2014 until 2018.
Brigadier General (Retired) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Razak bin Haji Abdul Kadir is the current Ambassador of Brunei to Indonesia since 2024. He was formerly the Deputy Minister of Defence and the 12th Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF) in 2022. Additionally, he was among the contingent attached to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao.
First Admiral (Retired) Dato Seri Pahlawan Spry bin Haji Serudi @ Seruji, also referred to as Dato Spry, is a Bruneian military officer whom formerly took office as the twelfth commander of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) from 2020 to 2022. He is the first naval officer in charge of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) contingent from Brunei from 2012 to 2013.
Colonel (Retired) Mohammad Ismaon bin Haji Zainie is a retired Bruneian military officer who served as the Chief of Staff of the Joint Forces Headquarters of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and the deputy commander of the Training Institute Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Additionally, he was among the contingent attached to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao.
The Joint Force Headquarters of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, natively known as Markas Angkatan Bersama Angkatan Tentera Diraja Brunei, is a combined military command that was established expressly to oversee all joint operations activities of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. At least three services, including the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), and Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF), participate in joint operations.
Colonel Muhammad Wata bin Abdullah Awat, simply known as Wata, is a Bruneian military officer who served as the current Deputy Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) since 2022. Additionally, he was among the contingent attached to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao.
Colonel (Retired) Azman bin Haji Bangkol is a former Bruneian military officer who served as the Deputy Commander of the Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, he was among the contingent attached to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao. He has notably served as the deputy for three RBLF commanders consisting of Haszaimi Bol Hassan, Abdul Razak and Saifulrizal Abdul Latif.