Origins of Mindanao Conflict 1955 Bandung Non Aligned Conference, recognizing Muslims in Mindanao & Sulu as part of the Islamic Ummah. 1955- Bandung Non Aligned Conference in Indonesia hosted by Pres. Bong Sukarno took cognizance to the state-sponsored discrimination against the Muslim minority in Mindanao in terms of education, economic-enhancing infrastructure projects, government employment, etc. The Conference took cognizance to the influx of government-sponsored Christian settlers in Mindanao, collected from different parts of Luzon and Visayas to change the demographic status of people of Mindanao, originally inhabited by Muslims (Maranao-Iranons, Maguindanaoans, Tausog, Yakan, Samal, Badjao, Kalagan, etc.) and Lumad (13 tribes). First wave of Christian settlers, under the 1938 Quirino-Recto Colonization Act, came from the Huks of Luzon, convicts from Visayas and Luzon. Pres. Manuel Roxas sponsored the migration of thousands of Ilonggo settlers from Visayas to Mindanao. Pres. Magsaysay undertook the massive settlement programs in 1955 which saw the Muslim population in Dadiangas, now Gen. Paulino Santos City, reduced to minority in the south Cotabato region. That same year, Egyptian Pres. Gamal Abdel Nasser pledged to grant state scholarships to Moros through Sen. Domocao Alonto to educate Moros in the field of military science (Nasserist 15 – Wahab Alonto, Sharief, Basman, SangcopanMalawani, Al Kamlian, et al), medicine (Ali Mackno, Ali Busran et al), engineering (Pasayud Macarambon, etc.) and Islamic studies (Yusop Lucman, Shuaib Tumug, Hashim Salamat, Mahid Mutilan, Basher Idris, Omar Pasigan, Mochtar Abedin, etc.). Lanao was divided into two provinces in 1958 because of disparity in voting numbers. Christians always win in Lanao elections. In the interim, MSU, SPDA, CNI, LAC (Lumbatan), breeding stations, thousands of teachers and commissioned officers, Mindeco electric company (Congressmen Rashid Lucman, Salipada Pendatun, Salih Ututalum and Mohammed Ali Dimaporo) were granted by the government through due diligence and sustained representations by aggressive Muslim leaders in Congress. Kamlon Rebellion ended in Sulu after he peacefully surrendered to the Philippine Constabulary. This was followed by Tawan Tawan Rebellion in Lanao. 1967 - Jabidah Massacre. Sen. Benigno Ninoy Aquino, Cavite Gov. Justiniano Montano, Cong. Salipada Pendatun and Cong. Rashid Lucman, exposed Marcos conspiracy to create chaos in Sabah. 60+ Muslim trainees were executed by their AFP trainors headed by Col. Martelino. Jibin Arula survived. Ninoy Aquino exhorted the Bangsa Moro people to take up arms against Marcos in a Marawi City mass rally. 1968 Training of 92 young Muslims from Mindanao, including Nur Misuari, Abulkhayr Alonto, Dimas Pundato, Jamil Lucman, Duma Sani and others, from Mindanao & Sulu sponsored by Malaysian PM Tunku Abdul Rahman and Cong. Rashid Lucman. Bangsa Moro Liberation Organization was organized as an umbrella organization of all Islamic movements, including Ansar el Islam, Muslim Association of the Philippines, resisting the Marcos Regime. 1968 - Malaysian PM Tunku Abdel Rahman met with Cong. Rashid Lucman to recruit young Moro youths from major clans to train in guerilla warfare and counter-insurgency in Malaysia (Top 90 – Duma Sani, Nur Misuari, Abul Alonto, Dimas Pundato, Jimmy Lucman, Ronnie Malaguiok, et al) Bangsa Moro Liberation Organization was organized as an umbrella organization of all Moro movements and political clans (Loongs, Kalingalan, Ampatuans, Midtimbangs, Annis, Sinsuats, Biruars, Masturas, Mangudadatus, Matalams, Abubacars, Kamlians, Yassins, etc.), the 19 Royal Houses of Mindanao & Sulu, Ansar el Islam, Lawyer’s League, Muslim Association of the Philippines, Green Guards, Lam Alif, Bangsa Bai, Union of Islamic forces and Organizations, etc. to advance the cause of Bangsa Moro freedom and autonomy in line with the national opposition under the Liberal Party. 1969 – Battle of Wao led by Malay-trained commanders. Bamer Sharif, the first Moro martyr, was killed in the battle. Gov. Udtog Matalam declared the formation of the Mindanao Independence Movement. Battles between Black shirts and AFP erupted in Buldon. Mayor Bangon Aratuc of Buldon denied maintaining an army of Black shirts. 1970 - BMLO and Bangsa Moro Army trained 30,000+ young Moros in guerilla warfare. Nur Misuari proposed the formation of MNLF but was rebuffed by the elders and organizers of the Bangsa Moro Army-Black shirts (Jun Matalam, Jean Intan Yassin, Jun Macarambon, Alver Alonto, Otto Salahuddin et al). Constitutional Convention approved a proposal by Delegates Raul Manglapus and Michael Mastura to grant autonomy to the Muslim regions in Mindanao. 1972 – Sultan Rashid Lucman bought 2,000 rifles from Fabrique Nationale in Belgium. It was consigned to Saudi Arabia under King Faisal, a friend of Sultan Lucman. Martial Law was declared by Marcos. Salih Bouyasir, emissary of Pres. Khadaffy to the leaders of the Bangsa Moro revolution was killed in a plane crash in Sinai. A Letter of Instruction by Pres. Khadaffy addressed to Cong. Rashid Lucman never reached the congressman. It was kept by Nur Misuari and the amount needed to jumpstart the guerilla war. 1973 Martial Law was declared in the Philippines. Nur Misuari fled to Malaysia. Moro National Liberation Front was organized by Chairman Nur Misuari, Sabah State Minister Tun Mustapha with the assistance of Libyan Foreign Minister AlyTrekky. Major political clans, Moro professionals and Islamic movements withdrew support to the Bangsamoro revolution. Nur Misuari, backed by Minister Tun Mustapha of Sabah and FM Aly Trekky, announced the establishment of the Moro National Liberation Front against the wishes of the Old Guard, political clans, Royal Houses and Bangsa Moro movements. Tun Mustapha, a Tausog, envisioned a Republic consisting of Mindanao, Sulu, Palawan and Sabah. It was rejected by the political clans of Mindanao and Sulu. Tun Mustapha seized the Belgian rifles and money said to be in the amount of $2 million US dollars intended for BMLO Black shirts and distributed it among the MNLF commanders headed by Chairman Misuari. The movement suffered a fatal setback. Nur Misuari was expelled from Malaysia. Tun Mustapha reconciled with the Malaysian government. Sultan Rashid Lucman went on exile in Saudi Arabia, followed by Cong. Salipada Pendatun, Atty. Macapantun Abbas Jr. and other leaders in Mindanao and Sulu. Other leaders rejoined the government, denouncing Nur Misuari as betrayer of the unity of the Bangsa Moro revolution. 1976 – Ustadj Salamat Hashim broke away from MNLF accusing Misuari of communist leanings, corruption and source of disunity among Bangsa Moro forces. 1977 – MILF was organized in Makkah. Dimas Pundato, vice chairman of the MNLF based in Sandakan (Sabah) broke away from Nur Misuari’s MNLF. Pundato formed the MNLF-Reformist Group. 1981 Ninoy Aquino met King Khaled of Saudi Arabia, the latter pledging full support to Ninoy quest to solve the Muslim problem in Mindanao. Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Dr. Saleh Jamjoom and Dr. Omar Abdullah Naseef also pledged support. The meeting was closely monitored by the US and Philippine governments. 1982 Karachi Accord for Bangsa Moro Unity in accordance with the demands of the OIC, Dr. Inamullah Khan of Muslim World Leaque and Saudi Foreign Min. Prince Saud Al Faisal. Nur Misuari rejected the Covenant of Unity among Bangsa Moro groups represented by Sultan Rashid Lucman, Cong. Salipada Pendatun, Sen. Domocao Alonto, Justice Mama Busran, Atty. Dimapuno Datu Ramos, Atty. Saidamen Pangarungan, Dr. Yusop Lucman et al. 1983 Benigno Ninoy Aquino Jr. was assassinated at the Manila International Airport 1984 Sultan Rashid Lucman died in Riyadh 1985 – Norodin Lucman re-organized the BMLO-BMA Blackshirts in preparation for the anticipated civil war in Manila as a result of Ninoy Aquino’s assassination. Noor Lucman was chosen as Chief Coordinator of Bangsa Moro Coordinating Command composed of top commanders of the BMLO, MILF and MNLF. Nur Misuari did not join the command, citing differences with the Aquinos, according to MNLF Comdr. Hamza and Narra Jalil. Gen. Salipada Pendatun died in a car accident in Quezon City. 1986 – Nur Misuari was resurrected through Butz Aquino and Aquilino Pimentel, at the behest of the OIC and the Libyan government. 1987 MILF denounced the Cory Aquino government, destroyed Napocor lines in Lanao and Maguindanao provinces. 1989 – BMLO reconciled with the government when ARMM was created by Pres. Cory Aquino. Noor Lucman was delisted in the Order of Battle as enemy of the state. 1996 – GRP-MNLF Final Peace Agreement, Nur Misuari was elected ARMM Governor. 1999 Pres. Estrada declared All out War against the MILF. Estrada was overthrown by Edsa II. Noor Lucman met with MILF Chairman Salamat Hashim and proposed that before MILF will agree to a general ceasefire, 1) Peace Talks should be held outside the jurisdiction of the Philippine government preferably Jeddah, the seat of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), 2) That a Third Party component be allowed to mediate in the Peace Talks, and 3) Call for a UN-sponsored Referendum in Mindanao and Sulu. Chairman Salamat agreed to transmit the proposal to the MILF Central Committee. I announced this Three-Point proposal at a mass rally in Marawi City, sponsored by Lacs Dalidig of IMERGG, Saksi IRF and Islamic civil society organizations on April, 1999. Malaysia was tasked by the OIC to act as mediator and Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the venue for the Peace Talks. Consequently, Pres. Joseph Estrada rejected the proposal and went on to carry out his costly army offensives in Central Mindanao, leading to the army occupation of Camps Abubacar, Bushra and Radiamoda. The MILF counter-attacked by resorting to a Mindanao-wide guerilla war against Pres. Joseph Estrada. 2000 Pres. Joseph Estrada was overthrown by People Power II in Edsa. Noor Lucman was cited along with Gov. Chavit Singson, Sen. Teofisto Guingona and others in Club Filipino (Greenhills) as one of the Catalysts of Edsa II. This gathering was organized by People’s Consultative Assembly and 82 other civil society groups nationwide. 2002 – Pres. Arroyo attacked Buliok Complex, at the behest of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Angelo Reyes. MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari was jailed for subversion and corruption. 2008 – MOA AD was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on the basis of petitions filed by Mar Roxas, Sen. Frank Drilon, Cong. Celso Lobregat, Cong. Manny Pinol and Mayor Lorenz Cruz. MILF commanders Umbra Kato, Alim Pangalian and Bravo attacked military camps in Central Mindanao. 2010 – Pres. Benigno Noynoy Aquino was proclaimed president, pledging peace in Mindanao and stamping corruption in the government, including ARMM. Aquino called for reform in ARMM. 2013 November - Bangsamoro Basic Law written by Noor Lucman was approved as a road map for peace in Mindanao & Sulu. The Basic Law is to strengthen the structures of the regional autonomy and maximize the potential for peace in Mindanao & Sulu through peaceful negotiations and in accordance with the flexibilities of the Constitution inherent in the RA 9054 and the Organic Act (RA 6734) establishing the autonomous government in Muslim Mindanao. Framework Agreement and the Annexes on Transitional Arrangements and Modalities, Revenue Generation and Wealth Sharing, and Power Sharing) will eventually find its way into the provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. “Executive Order No. 120, series of 2012, created the Transition Commission which is tasked to conduct consultations with experts and stakeholders to aid them in coming up with actual provisions for the draft of Bangsamoro Basic Law.” (OPAPP, PDI 8/1/14) This Covenant is the last leg of the 16-year negotiations culminating in the 2012 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro. It is erasing the past that sustained a historical anomaly in Mindanao & Sulu since 1645. The society thus organized Must live under laws That would guide their everyday life, Based on principles of righteousness and fair dealing. (2:168)
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:28:42 +0000
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