Mindanao, The Land of Promise that Never Was
Mindanao is no stranger to conflict. It is a land with a long-standing history of defiance against the powers that be. From the opposition of Moros against Spanish colonizers, resistance against the Marcos dictatorship, and with recent times, the struggle against the harsh, fascistic measures of the State to suppress rebellion in the region — conflict is an ever-familiar face for the residents and natives of Mindanao.
The region’s upcoming celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace, which was enacted by the government, remains a far-fetched goal; primarily because of the conflict between the people’s genuine interests and the State’s directionless aspirations for the region. Mindanao is truly a land of promise oppressed and destroyed for the interests of companies and other private entities.
State-backed Terrorism in Mindanao
As per the account of Amirah Lidasan, spokesperson of Suara Bangsamoro, a Moro mass organization fighting for the right to self-determination and just and lasting peace to the region, it is often the state’s forces which causes terror in Mindanao.
Lidasan outlined her experiences in being a human rights defender in the region:
“Sa tulong ng Karapatan, inikot namin ang lahat ng mga probinsya sa ARMM at iba pang mga probinsya sa Mindanao na may malaking bilang ng mga Bangsamoro, upang magtala ng mga paglabag ng karapatang pantao sa mga military operations at anti-terror operations.”
[With the help of Karapatan (a non-government organization dedicated to campaigning and upholding the rights of Filipino people), we traveled across ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and other nearby provinces with sizable Bangsamoro population, in order to file and catalog cases of human rights’ abuse caused by military and anti-terrorism operations.]
Substantiating, multiple cases of abuses and offenses against Mindanawans have been recorded back when Duterte issued Proclamation № 216, declaring martial law and the suspension of Habeas Corpus in the entirety of Mindanao.
According to the data collected by Karapatan from May 23, 2017 to May 23, 2019, numerous cases of human rights violations in the island of Mindanao have been recorded.
The said data are as follows: 93 cases of extrajudicial killings; 136 cases of frustrated extrajudicial killings; six cases of enforced disappearance; 1,450 cases of illegal arrest and detention; 35 cases of torture; 28,813 cases of military and state intimidation; a total of 423,538 Mindanawans evacuating extensively militarized and bombed areas; a total of 348,081 farmers, indigenous peoples, and natives affected by indiscriminate bombings of the military to local communities.
The data reflected by Karapatan directly refutes Duterte’s false claim that martial law in Mindanao ended without human rights abuses.
“Sinungaling si President Duterte nang sinabi niya sa kanyang SONA na walang naganap na paglabag sa karapatang panatao nang dineklara niya ang Martial Law sa Mindanao,” Lidasan stated.
[President Duterte outright lied when he said in his SONA (State of the Nation Address) that there were no human rights transgressions when he declared martial law in Mindanao.]
Lidasan also highlighted the effects of militarization in the communities of indigenous peoples (IPs): “Matindi ang atake sa mga lumad areas lalo na sa may mga iskwelahan. Sapilitang pinasara ang mga iskwelahang lumad sa pamamagitan ng pagkampo ng mga militar.”
[The attacks against lumads are intense, especially in communities where there are schools. Local schools are being forcibly closed by the military, through establishing military encampments near their communities.]
She also enumerated the attacks of the government against the natives of Mindanao: “Katulad sa mga Bangsamoro, ang mga kapatid nating Lumad at iba pang katutubo ay kumakarap ng matinding karahasan mula sa gubyerno.”
[Like with the Bangsamoro, our fellow lumads and other indigenous peoples continuously face harassment and intimidation from the government.]
“Pambomba sa mga komunidad [ang paraan] upang sapilitang lumikas ang mga katutubo,” the Suara Bangsamoro spokesperson added.
[The government bombs native communities so that they may forcibly evacuate the area.]
Disjointed Development in Marawi
According to an earlier statement by Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch (MRCW), an independent and neutral multi-stakeholder group that seeks to mitigate conflict in the rebuilding of Marawi, “it has been three years since the government declared our city liberated, but there is no real liberation to speak of.”
Lidasan attributed this “lack of liberation” to the disjointed development of Marawi to the interests of private entities and the military in the city.
“Inuuna ni President Duterte ang pagtatayo ng isang regiment-size na kampo ng mga militar sa mismong sentro ng most affected area.”
[President Duterte’s focused on building a regiment-sized military encampment in the middle of the most affected area.]
The most affected area is a region in Marawi City where most of the battle took place. It is the most damaged part of the city from the conflict inflicted by the Siege of Marawi back in 2017.
“Prayoridad din ng administrasyong Duterte ang magkaroon ng economic zone at tourist spot,” Lidasan added.
[The Duterte administration prioritizes the development of an economic zone and tourist spot (in the city of Marawi).]
This disorganized development brought concern to the MRCW: “These may worsen existing identity-related conflict and may trigger violent flashpoints and a stringing of conflict.”
Attaining Peace in a Conflict-ridden Region
Attaining peace in conflict-ridden Mindanao is a difficult task. It requires commitment from both the masses in the region and the government. However, with the way things are, it seems that the government’s neither interested in attaining peace nor tasking good governance in the region of Mindanao.
According to Lidasan, the best way to attain peace in the region is for the government to respect the rights of Mindanawans, in particular, the right to self-determination by IPs.
“Dapat kilalanin respetuhin ng gubyerno ang karapatang pantao ng mamamayan, kasama na rin ang karapatan ng mga Moro at katutubo sa sariling pagpapasya.”
[The government should recognize and respect the rights of the people, Moros, and the local natives of their capacity for self-determination.]
Also, the government’s failure to abide by CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law) worsens the conflict not only in Mindanao but also in other regions with counter-insurgency operations.
The CARHRIHL is a comprehensive agreement that articulates the principles of human rights in armed conflicts. It stipulates that protecting the civilian population in combat areas is of priority for the combatants.
Moreover, the refusal of the government to continue peace talks, and in particular, the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER), inflames armed conflict in Mindanao.
Dubbed as the most controversial and important document in the peace talks, the paperwork of CASER aims to tackle, change, and address government policies in approaching the roots of poverty and indigence in the nation.
Lidasan also stated that the democratic rights of the people must be upheld, especially the rights of farmers, which comprise 75% of the Filipino population.
“Makakamit din ang kapayapaan kung naibibigay ang mga demokratikong kahilingan ng mamamayan, lalo na ang mga malaking bilang ng naghihirap sa ating mga komunidad.”
When asked as to what we can do to address the conflict in Mindanao, Lidasan said: “inihikayat ko din na sa proseso ng pag-alam sa aming mga kalagayan at bakit pwersado ang mamamayan na lumaban sa mga anti-mamamayang polisiya ng gubyerno at paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa pamamagitan ng pakikisalimuha sa aming hanay, sa mga Bangsamoro at Katutubo.”
[I’m encouraging that in the process of knowing our state, and the struggle of the masses against the government’s anti-citizen policies and rampant human rights abuses, that the people join and interact with progressive groups, both Bangsamoro and natives.]
“Maging kasama namin kayo sa aming paglaban para sa aming mga karapatan.”
[Join us in our struggle for our collective peoples’ rights.]
This article was first published on The Catalyst, November 2020, released and issued in relation to Mindanao’s Week of Peace celebration.
