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Mindanao - Sulu Crisis

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131 views5 pages

Mindanao - Sulu Crisis

Uploaded by

Jewel Atangan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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eae. me ee ae fee Re a eee ee MINDANAO - SULU CRISIS By: Peter Gorden Gowing {In human affairs a “crisis” is an unstable or crucial time when a bad situation will take a turn for tho better —- or for the worse. The stale of affairs in Moroland had become very bad by the late 1960s, and by the early 1970s had reached crisis proportions. Three events in the particular helped to precipitate the isis in Mindanao and Sulu: the “Corregidor incident" ere clouded in a fog of conflicting reports, but atleast 28 Muslims recruits (called Jabidah Commandos") out of a larger number undergoing guerilla warfare training in Corregidor Istand (allegedly in secret preparation for Philippine miltary operations in Sabeh-code ‘named "Operation Merdeka") were treacherously and summarily executed late in March 1968 by Philippine Army personnel, They were reportéd executed months or, says another version, over the prospect (recently revealed to them) of being sent into action against brother Muslims in Malaysia. According to the latter version, the Muslim recruits at first had been told they were training to fight “Communists” but mutiied when they learned the truth, One traines escaped to tall they tale which became at once a cause celabre in Philippine poitics and led to repid daterioration in Philippine-Malaysian relations. Those relations had been badly strained anyway since 1962 when former President Macapagal had formally put forth the Philippine claim to Sabah, based on a tenuous soversignty once exercised by the Sultanate of Sulu over the northern Bomeo territory. Few Ioros paid much attention tothe claim, and most of hase who thought about it at all felt that Sabah wes better off with Muslim Malaysia than with Christian Philippines. The “Corregidor Incident” angered Malaysians and particularly Tun Mustapha, the Chief Minister of Sabah (Noble, 197b: 165-174), for Many Mores were appailed and incensed atthe inhuman treatment ofthe Mora trainees; and Mores the ‘Corregidor incident was the “Jabidah Massacre.” One group in Colabato province, headed by former Governor Datu Udtog Matalam, declared on May 1, of that year the format it tablishment of an Islamic Republic of Mindanao Mindanao) Independence Movement (MIM) aimed at the e nari opal Mera and Sulu, The Ni iisel cid not have along history and was never mere than a ocal moverors Coreen, Butthe desire fo independence form the Philippine Repubic was rekinledin the minds and hess rey Moros. Moreaver, a small group of Muslim intellectuals and students in Manila, ' es, i vila warfare, with Massacre," begen conspiring and preparing for anti-government activites, including guer 402 | Pare ‘Scanned with CamScanner the secession of Moroiand as the goa!. The seeds for what blossomed into the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) were sown by the group and cullivated by prominent Congressman. Its leaders wore to Include Nur Misuan of Sula (hen an instructor at the University ofthe Philippines) and AbulKnayr Alonio of {Lanao del Sur (then @law student at Sen Beda College), Form mid-670 and on into 1971, voice erupted in ho two areas most flected by Cviian miraton Gaba ord Langs da Norn bon ove. oas Chars Mad lng sine bacon fe Inajorty popciaton, but fra tne tne found i expecont to effect potesaltances with Musis. Thus, they supported the olecion o somo Muslims to bl offen onthe oe provincial and atonal eves By ‘arly 1870s, however, hci Christian rlabons had worsened to tho port where Civitas ro ergot Saw ary gain in pois cooperation th Marlims andthe we populations became radical polarized ‘especialy es the Noverbor 81971, slaclons drow nor In Cotabato, the MIN nad aroused Christian fears of a Moro uprising. There were reports of ‘Muslim youths undergoing “months of rigid taining’ in the Middle Est and Malaysia, and in secret camps in Cotabato itso. Some Cvistiane evactated to safer places, others were determined to say an fight for {the productive farms and businesses theirhard work had establishad. Consitons were ripe fe the explosion ‘which finally como toward ina middle of 1970 in Upl, North Cotabato. There a Chistian tengo s Feliciano Lucas, sis "Toothpick led a band of Trurays (later on called lagas, “rats in attacks against ‘Moros at whose hands they had allegedly sulfered terrorism and explotation for years. Soon the sho=ting ‘Spread form Upi to other perio of Cotabato where pent-up tensions burst into blazing fury. lage bands ‘Sprang up everywhore, and al this point bands of armed Muslims appeared, The later were quickly dubbed “Biackshirts” bocauoo of thei uniform, and were saié to be miley arm ofthe MM, By the end of 1570, ‘he fighting betwean llagas and Blackshrs in Cotabato resuited inthe closing of many schools, cisruptons fof the economy and mass evacution of uousends of innocent vicims. The Social Wettare Administration festimatod that some 20,000 Muslims, Christians and Trurays hae been forced io abandon theirhomes and farms, (McAmis, 1974:46), Manili Massacre “The government sont in is armed fooes to restore order and one town after another was placed under Constabulary contr The Moros accused the Constabulary of siding withthe tegas. The suffering ‘On all sides wos terible. On June 19, 1971, some Moro men, women and chikiren wore massacred by Ragas ata mosque in Berio Mani, Carmen, North Cotabato. In eerly August, @ battle between Conttebuiany troops and Blacksists occurred at Buldon, ant later thal month there was an lag tack on easttsan both towns in North Cotabato, And 20 it went on and on. The Moros by end large wore Aaibcrned and suffered the grester number of casualties. Cries of “gonocide’ began being heard and Caught tre attention ofthe Musi Wo In this atmosphere the November elactions drow near, and an ex-Philippine Constabulary ‘commander, @ Christan, ran agains! he Incumbent Must governor of North Cotabato, The Chation won eer af ne towns elected Christen mayors - tus formally signiying the actual eit of politcal power fom Muslims to Christians which had been buiding up fer some time, “The oxolosions in Cotehsto hed their reverbarations inthe two Lango provinces. In Waa, one of the very fow eommenitas In the province of Lanao del Sur which hed a sizeatie Cristian population, & wre adh expodd insigeb mosquo on duly 4, 1971, and aver 60 Muslim homes wero evacuated owe grenade aie Lanao where tek rolaves and sympathizers swore revenge. Soon there wore reports eects In Wed being ambushed and ther houses burned (iia, 6.47). “Tacub Masencre 1031? ane ‘Scanned with CamScanner, ‘Bas the situation was in Lanac dal Sur, the stuaton in th province of Lango dol Norte was worse, There the most powerful political leaders were a Misi Congrassman and Christan Governor ‘They hed begun 29 paca lies ind mid 1080s but bythe 1970 elacions fr Constitutional Gorvertion| delegetes they had become biter vals. Tis valy developed quis ino apolitical bate siding Muslims (ongertrated mainly inthe wesiem pat of he province) ang Cristiane In 1971, groups of aed Mushis {aed "Borracas "began depredations in toans onthe nochein coastine in support of ra pollical cause ‘of the Muslim canste running for governor against the Cris incumbent in te November elections They were confronted by hastily formed groups of Christan Hagas. By September, hosbities between the berracudas and lagas had greatly escalated and ld large-scale evacuabar of bat) Muslim ‘and Chistian. Musi fed toward theLake Lanao eee, and Cristiane wert ofigan and Ozamis, some Were going as fer 8s Cagayan de Oro end Dumaguete. The numberof evacues was estimated 10 BS £0,000, The mediating eferts of Prestient Marcos and the intervention of fre miltary were of aval. tate October, 17 men af 22-man Constabulary pail were Kiled in an ambush by Barracudas inthe town 2{ Magsaysay. This uns folowed by the nex day by the revenge slaughter of 6 Musims in @ skirmish, also in Magseysay, ‘The warfare Magsaysay and several cther Lanao dol Not towns had caused so many voters to fee that a special elocton hod to ba rescheduled for November 22, thaugh In the other tows tre November 8 stectons took placa on time, The Muslim cencidate for governor was roundly defeated. In the ‘wo voeke fling, miliary operations in Lanaa del Nore were halted, anavaters wh Nad evacuated the several ns where tare had been trouble oncourages to return hemo and vote fo local officals. Mary {9c 80, but on he cay ofthe special eloctons a bagody occured which shocked the nation. The ful sory {isnot known to this day, but a grouD of armed More waters, return ater dark in several wucks om the ‘pocia lection in Magsaysay, were fred upon by government Yoops in Barrio Tac in the municipalty of Kauswapan. Atleast <0 Maros were lle, with ro fataly onthe government so. Thar Bocas wore then reportedy smuleled by Christan eiviian bystanders, The wae the Infamous "Tacub Massacre” Investigation bythe Netonal Bureau of Investigation rosea in charges of mute Homicide being brought ‘2geinst 21 army men (including tee offcers) and tee evans (ineking & Chien mayer. Muslin leaders counsoied patonc to alow te law lo take scours, But by Marc of 1072 the crarges against the thee civitne ad fv ofthe soktiers were creppad ar lack of evidence Tho postion of te case ‘against the cemsining 18 solders was nover reperted — presumably the case was quite dropped. & net ‘uncommon practice with eases Inwhieh Moros aretha vets (Wid, 48-42,51) ‘The 1971 elections, than, were significant because they formalized the shit of potical power {ram Muslims to Chistans in pars of Mocoland. They also simulated the rise and ectiiy cf rval Chistian land Musi groupe, escalated tne love of volenes and atracted te sterion of Musi states abroad {Wble, 1876-470}. By the end of 1971, he "Mindanao War” ad taken a toll of 800 Ives (according to ‘ffcial estimates) and thre were 100.000 refugees. In 1972 the cont spread to Zamboanga del Sur, ‘where laga bends appeared, and to Galabagan, near Malabang in Lanao del Su, which ike Wao had & ‘mixed Muslm-Civistisn poputon. There wera rumers that bages were preparing for an alack on Sul, {nd te acing Gasarnr 6 hel provinos womed that the Tausug Musiine wore ready to deal wih any such fatack. Io July, taracudes wore reported conducting raids in Zamboanga del Norie, Everywnere in Moroland ihe ‘imosphere was lene. Here and there lagas equored of apainst Blackshits and ‘Barracudas. Ino onss io Mors charges of ganocide” two groups of foreign Muslim emissaries were sent tothe Phiippines arty at tho Insigaton of he Jed Dased Isic Secretar, In January and July of 41972. Speaking for ho group wich inspected condtons In Morciand in July, Mr. Aly Trek, an official of the Libyan Foreic Minty, declared" We believe the conic is now a religious war.” Asked by journalists to elaborate on vst he mean! by a religious war, he ropa (Philppine Heraid, July 8, 1872. p. 9) “Personal we 31 belive there fs eush a bing, Bul what I important is not what We educated people Delve in, what rats is what tho Muslims in Mindenao think They tink thir war against the Christians {8 2relgous on. Neier te January noe te July group of emissavis found any evidence of ancci! ‘cn the part ti Philippine Government, tough they found bases for beliving that ant-Atusin violence Was supported b, some loco! ecmanistrations canwaled by Christians 108 | Page ‘Scanned with CamScanner, ‘whencn September 21, 1972, Presid! Marcas decor Marta aw teougnoat he Pepa ‘one ot tne roasonshe pave or ing So was he ersance ofthe cars batwoon Mushis, and Cesta In Mango and Su He sat (Phappines Sunday Express, September 24,1972, p.) Wat th went \Ssorder that region had reset ling of over 1,000 evans and about 2000 aed Mushms and Chrsians, no to mention the more than fe hundred toutand of yes. spaced. and nomoloss Bersons as wel as the great numberof casalos among our goverment oops, an the prayzaon ot the economy of Mindano and Sus ‘Te impostion of Martial tax, coupled withthe Goverments detormination to isa the populace, incuring the Moros, only sengthened the fesove of dssidon’ Musims 10 supp fer Indeperionco. The ft major defanc of te mart aw rogme ‘ecurred in Lanao dol Sur when in the mexning of Saturday October 21,1972 2 reba orca of several andre Moros afacked the Philippine Constary headquarters in Maras Cy, 20200 the Mindanao Stato University campus and atlemped to fake the Panta ridge on the Maroutigan roa, From te a0 station on ‘he MSU campus, tho rebels broadcast appaats for support on the Maraneo population saying at since Spanish mes. tho {overwmortin the Piippineshad ays been agama to tims land hat was necessary to oveow the govern sal her ‘would be no rescuons onthe pracics of slam. Tha bes called Themesies as the “Mindanao Revoluionary Cowra or Independence.” By early Saturday evening Govemmrart feinforcements had arived in Mara. A bao raged for about twenty-four hows, bythe end of which tne the Goverment sd ‘regained contel over ts Gly. The uprising ended ashe atfacing forces withdrow tothe hls, leaving bate casuals Mearwhie ‘many ofthe Christan population had evacuate to ligan and any isranaoe fed the homes ofrlaives andes intoune around the lke, For soveal wooks Marew was tho aghost town" Reports sai thatthe robes involve inthe attack on ane Maras wore from seven different ésidert groups, and were ‘mostly teen-aged Maranacs led by some oder men, afew of whom ‘fore notorious ous anda fow oles gueiod former Dicals and poitesans. Tho Ocober 25, deadine set by tho Government for turing i ears was probably a facor bot n the purpose aed the ning ol he tac (MeRmi, 1974 52-53), aril Low breupthe MNLF ote open Since 1568 11969, a bo of Mote yous ater tbe pat of Barges Moo ‘my (ea) hat en gusty preparing fr secesons ue ‘Coli, some of hem gong eons for Waring, Soon afore declrabon of tara Law, fe MNLF emergea asthe svongest Sst cpg and ecoanated ote Sera Moro groupe. The IaNLE soon Became he ent voce for ie gratances. an Spcobone othe majo Mk Fipos Moree, the NLT Sire repesant te poptot the Morea thetigh cnc othe denim ona Such mate dan ter estes has come o ovo assdont fom oregn Musinseurcas rota rom S009 yA ue sume oma 0 telUbya-has been vento tie NF -ArtnoRoght tts power "at, tama Smt foots oe sich was 4973 a 174 the MN had ot est 15.000 and Sa Yossbly as many 8 bce bal umber, men and worn) : Fray sm te Bangsa Moro Army Raise hod a sidan of sop aang te Meo people OneBMA ‘onmande’ in 1974 esimated at pamaps 55% of the Mason Foy supped be Front 15M

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