DISCUSSION Brief Historical Sketch of the Conflict

Kawistara, Vol. 2, No. 2, 17 Agustus 2012: 105-120 DISCUSSION INTRODUCTION Brief Historical Sketch of the Conflict The conflict in Southern Philippines The armed conflict in Southern has a long and deep-seated historical root Philippines has continued for more than that goes back to the Spanish and American four centuries and is considered one of the colonial period. Islam started to spread in the world’s “longest” and “bloodiest” running Philippine archipelago in the late 14th century armed conflicts (Philippine Free Press, May and began to take root and interwoven into 27, 2000). It is also known as the “largest and the indigenous customs and traditions of the most persistent armed conflict in Southeast Moros. Thus, when the Spaniards arrived Asia.” It resulted in the destruction of in the early part of 16th century (1521), properties and livelihood, displacement of the Muslims were already an established thousands of families, deaths of thousands sovereignty, and Islam had already gained of combatants from both sides, and innocent wide acceptance among the inhabitants of civilians including women and children Mindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan killed in the crossfire (Tan in Krishna and (Majul, 1999: 78; Osais and Lorenza, 1931: Tan, 2003: 98). 139; Laubach, 1925: 57). Gowing notes that The conflict is also damaging the shortly before the Spaniards came, Islam country’s image and creates the impression had already reached Manila and had gained that the Philippines is a virtual war zone and prominence in some parts of Luzon. Manila a “haven” for “terrorists” and “insurgents,” was then ruled by Rajah Sulayman and his thus contributing tremendously to the uncle Lakandula, who were relatives of the political and economic instability of the Sultan of Brunei (Gowing, 1983: 8-10). country. The global “War on Terror” The Spaniards were able to Christianize spearheaded by the Bush administration has almost all parts of Luzon and the Visayas in a encouraged prejudice and discrimination short span of time but were met with strong against Muslim communities who are labeled and bloody resistance in Mindanao. In their “terrorists.” For example, the governments of attempts to subjugate and colonize the entire Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Mindanao, the Spaniards enlisted many Kingdom, and the United States have made of their Christian converts as “mercenary” periodic advisories that restrict travel of their soldiers to fight against the Moros in the citizens to Mindanao for “security” reasons South (Canoy, 1987: 30). The perceived (American Chamber of Commerce of the “connivance” and support of Christianized Philippines, 2003). Filipinos of the Spaniard’s conquest of Mindanao had angered many Muslims and This study is aimed towards critical worsened the gap between them (Isidro and understanding of the historical, socio- Saber, 1967: 36-37). political, cultural and economic factors that During the American occupation (1899- contribute to the violent conflict in Southern 1946), the conflict between Christians and Philippines and how the roots and causes Muslims had become more intense. The of this conflict are being addressed at the American policy towards the Moros was at moment both by the Philippine government first congenial and accommodating. In trying and the different liberationist groups who to avoid getting meshed up in the conflict that are the main actors in the conflict. the Spaniards had already created between Christians and Muslims, the Americans had adopted a “non-interference” policy towards the Moro affairs by acknowledging the protocols and agreement signed in the 1878 treaty between the Sulu Sultanate and Spain. 106 Jerson Benia Narciso, -- A Historical Narrative and Critical Analysis of The Roots and Causes of Conflict In The Southern Philippines However, when met with fierce resistance Mindanao. It also engendered a deep sense from the Moros who strongly refused to of resentment that was continuously fed be subjugated, the Americans decided to by integrationist policies that have largely unilaterally revoke the treaty, enforced ignored Islamic cultural, religious and stricter laws and policies towards the Moros political traditions (Costello, 1992: 40-41). and started to employ military force to rule After the Second World War, Christian the Moroland (Mendoza, 1999: 3-6). migration to Mindanao became more rapid. This drastic move by the Americans The gap between Christians and Moros caused serious disruption in the Moro socio- was widened as Christian Filipinos gained political structure. The Muslims felt cheated more access and benefits to education and because although they were not subdued economic opportunities. Christians began to by the Spaniards they were included in dominate the economic and political spheres the sale of the Philippines to America by even in some predominantly Moro areas. Tan virtue of the Treaty of Paris. The Treaty of points out that between 1950-1960, Christian Paris was an agreement signed between business men, industrialists, loggers and the Spaniards and the Americans when the politicians in collaboration with Moro elites Spaniards finally turned over the control of dispossessed Moros and lumads of their the Philippine archipelago to their American lands through title frauds, tedious application successors. The Muslims then were forced to procedures, and costly legal processes. be integrated to the mainstream Philippine As a result, the Muslims who held 98 politics, thus, lumped into one group with percent of the lands in Mindanao and Sulu two distinct cultures. Ben Alforque describes before the turn of the 20th century, ended up this process as “the merging of conflictive in 1976 owning less than 17 percent, mostly history and the integration of the opposites” remote and infertile land (Mercado, 2009: 224- (Alfourque, 2001). 225). Exploitative economic activities which The Moro resistance was weakened have mainly favored Christian migrants, by years of bloody confrontations which have exacerbated disparities and further subsequently led to the introduction of fueled feelings of alienation and deprivation the American system of government and among Muslims (Islam, 1998: 452). It was the speedy integration of the Moros into a against this socio-political and economic united, self-governing Philippines. In the context that the revolutionary separatist early 1900s, Christianized Filipino natives Islamic movements began to rise and fought were encouraged to migrate to Moroland against the Philippine government (Mitsuo under the catchword, “Mindanao, the land et.al, 2001: 118-119). of promise” (Gowing and McAmis, 1974: 54). From 1965 to 1971, political organizations This resulted in more violent confrontations composed mostly of Moro students began between Christians and Muslims in to rise and waged numerous campaigns Mindanao. Christianized Filipinos were also for the recognition of the Moro’s rights for given increasing powers in the administration self-determination as a people with distinct of the Moro land. history and identity. The movement resulted By 1916, the newly organized and fully in the establishment of the first Muslim “Filipinized” Philippine Legislature assumed revolutionary group, the Moro National legislative control over Mindanao and Sulu. Liberation Front (MNLF) founded by young Domestic matters in Moro land were put Muslim activists headed by Nur Misuari, a under the control of Christianized Filipinos professor at the University of the Philippines (Man, 1990: 55). This transmigration program (Dalupan, 2005: 233). MNLF was founded on and turning over of control to Christian egalitarian ideology which is characterized migrants have altered ethnic, cultural, by a principled belief in the equality of all religious, economic and political balance in people in the political, economic, social 107 Kawistara, Vol. 2, No. 2, 17 Agustus 2012: 105-120 and civil realms regardless of differences in the stipulations of the Tripoli Agreement religion, race, ethnic origin and gender. had rendered it null and void and led to The main goal of the MNLF is to achieve heightened wars and bloodshed. Subsequent independence of the Bangsamoro Land which moves by the Cory Aquino administration to includes Sulu, Mindanao and Palawan, or arrive at an acceptable political arrangement otherwise known as MINSUPALA. In 1970, such as the creation of the Autonomous MNLF proclaimed itself as a political party Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) had composed of “freedom fighters” (otherwise also failed to secure acceptance of the MNLF known as the Bangsa Moro Army) and as recognized by the Philippine government started to launch a protracted armed struggle the official representative organization of against the Philippine government. This the Muslims in the Philippines before MILF resulted in violent confrontations between (Nunez, 1997: 6). Christian para-military groups (backed up by The ARMM was created on August the Philippine army) and the MNLF soldiers. 1, 1989 by the Aquino administration to In 1972, Marcos declared Martial Law against cater to the clamor for Moro autonomy. the growing insurgency. The implementation But in a plebiscite held in November of the of Martial Law had further pushed the same year, only four provinces-Lanao del Bangsamoro into armed resistance (Abinales, Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-tawi 2000; Vitug and Gloria, 2000). The MNLF out of thirteen voted to be included in the waged armed offensives and demanded ARMM. Again, the Muslims dream for an recognition

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