Examining the Nexus Between Philippine Constitutionalism and the Mindanao Conflict,makes reference to my own article, Repulsion and Colonization.
2 thoughts on “From settlement to dispossesion”
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The MINDANAO ISSUE has always been tricky and complicated taking into consideration the HISTORICO-POLITICAL antecedents. Tonnes and tonnes of blood has been spilled in the lands of Mindanao and yet up until now, “efforts for a resolution” would always bog down along the way.
THE CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM CONFLICT
The Christians brand as Muslims as “traitors” and the Muslims brand the Christians as “land-grabbers.” These are just some exchange of “name-calling” they engaged into. I have heard of really horrible stories of RAIDS by Christians on Muslim territories and vice versa. Women and children is not considered when raids are done. There was a culture of “take no prisoners.” This was I heard the events way back, I don’t know if these things still happen today.
Reading thru the different Articles, Mindanao (during the time of the Americans) were flooded with Christians to arrest a looming crisis of a Mindanao and the Muslims declaring an “independent state” away from the Philippine Islands. Historically, this proved to be successful. The “clash of religions” was employed to overtake a land that never succumed to “colonization.”
I am not sure now how the CHRISTIANS and MUSLIMS of Mindanao co-exist with each other. Yes, there are provinces where Christians abound and there are provinces as well that Muslims abound.
THE LAND CONFLICT
More than the “battle of religions” was the BATTLE ON HOW OWNS AND CONTROLS THE VAST LANDS OF MINDANAO. There were reports of land-grabbing, mass migration, settlements, and yes, dispossessions. Land would always be a “point of conflict” even at his day and age especially in the provinces. Even family members do not only fight but KILL EACH OTHER for the land. This reality is very true in Mindanao as well.
My proposition for this is that, why not the GRP and the different Representatives of the MORO people (the MILF) and other stakeholders, sit down and once and for all delineate what the Muslims call as “ancestral domain.” The issue on constitutionality would always be explored but I think there might be legal remedies as well to settle the issue once and for all. Meet halfway perhaps. The Philippines is so vast, why would the Government not give to the MOROS the lands which BELONGED TO THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE? It might not as easy as it seems but not unless this issue is settled, we would see more “armed fights” in the coming years.
One problem is that WHAT ARE THE SENTIMENTS OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MOROS? It cannot be denied that the MNLF already made an agreement with the GRP and now the MILF wants their own agreement. Won’t there be another group that would emerge that would also want to want an agreement again with the GRP. I have read that in some if not a good number of provinces controlled by the Moros, the style of leadership is that of a WARLORD-style (with all the private armies). More than all these talks, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE and WHAT DO THE MORO PEOPLE WANT? It’s quite easy to talk with some Muslim leaders with some following but among themselves, they have their own agend and ulterior motives to put forward. So, WHO is WHO and WHICH is WHICH?
A FEDERAL SYSTEM
An Revision or an Amendment of the Constitution calling for FEDERAL STATES all over the Philippines might just be the solution both parties are waiting for. I’m not so sure how Autonomous Regions work but if ever the MILF would reach an agreement with the GRP, would they also want their own Autonomous Region or the present ARMM’s territorial boundaries be expanded?
I’m thinking that if a Federal Form of Government be put into order, each DIALECT-speaking province distinct from the others would want to have their own STATE, lolz. I wonder how many STATES would there be. Surely, the ILOCANOS would want one. The KAPAMPANGANS would want one. The TAGALOGS would want one. The BICOLANOS would want one. The CEBUANOS would want one. The ILONGGOS would want one, and so on and so forth. Mindanao is a mixture of dialects. Maybe one STATE for the MUSLIMS and other State for the Christians.
There must be a way to AGREE HALFWAY on the Mindanao Issue. Political Will, Good Will, and a lot of patience with each
The positions of the conflicting parties in Mindanao are just too irreconcilable to be resolved in a peaceful manner.
The Muslim rebel groups only demand on thing.. that Mindanao be seperated from the Philippine archipelago and be an Independent Islamic nation.
No government in is right mind would accede to these ridicolous demands.
The only solution is to discourage further rebellion by definitively crashing any movement attempting to fight violently for independence of Mindanao.