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An all-out war was recently declared by the government against the Abu Sayyaf bandit group which is allegedly hiding in the island of Basilan, located in the southernmost part of the Philippines. Based on media reports, the military and Abu Sayyaf forces are both suffering heavy casualties. No side is winning the war.
The civilian communities are the real victims in this raging war. Military offensives have spread to adjacent islands, which has increased the number of families affected by the war. According to humanitarian groups, at least 50,000 families were forced to flee their homes in the last two weeks. Food supplies are dwindling, schools were closed and livelihoods were destroyed.
It is no longer surprising to hear that there is a vicious war in the south. That the Abu Sayyaf still exists is the surprising news. It is also unclear why the government would insist on attacking municipalities inhabited by Muslim rebels who are not Abu Sayyaf members.
The government claims moral ascendancy in attacking the Abu Sayyaf territories. The offensives are aimed at punishing the Abu Sayyaf members who allegedly beheaded 14 marines last month. But this vindictive government reaction does not contribute to peace and development in the troubled region.
The all-out war will lead to the scuttling of peace talks between the government and Moro separatists. At present, the government has a formal agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front and peace negotiations are ongoing with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Even if Abu Sayyaf members are the supposed target of the renewed military offensive, there is a high risk that the MILF and MNLF will be drawn into the war too.
Indeed, there have been reported skirmishes between government troops and Muslim rebels. The MILF accused the military of violating a ceasefire agreement when soldiers allegedly intruded on MILF territories. Meanwhile, the MNLF demanded the immediate withdrawal of troops in other Muslim-dominated islands. It also questioned whether President Gloria Arroyo is still in control of the military.
The MILF and MNLF are actually sending a warning. The all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf is hurting Muslim communities. The military is provoking Muslim rebels to engage the military head on. Can the military withstand the combined forces of the Abu Sayyaf, MILF and MNLF? If it cannot defeat the small Abu Sayyaf bandit group, how can it even confront the bigger and organized Muslim rebel forces?
The government should rethink the "War on Terror" framework in dealing with the peace problem in Muslim Mindanao. The roots of the conflict in that region cannot be traced to 9/11. It does not help that the government views most bombing activities and terrorist plots as Muslim-instigated.
Even the Abu Sayyaf bandit group, despite its sinister reputation and record, can rely on community support through ethnic ties and common hatred of the military. In the battlefield, the distinctions between Abu Sayyaf, MILF and MNLF are blurred. The government's dependence on the War on Terror doctrine prevents it from confronting the peace problem in Muslim Mindanao through a holistic, effective and creative approach.
The tense situation became more complicated when a senator accused high-ranking military and civilian authorities of deliberately allowing the 14 soldiers to be ambushed and mutilated by Abu Sayyaf members. The senator is questioning the motive of the government in fanning the flames of war. Other members of Congress are also furious over the presence of U.S. troops in the combat operations against the Abu Sayyaf.
Meanwhile, as the war continues, there is little discussion of poverty alleviation, land reform, grassroots empowerment, job creation, human rights or autonomy, which could contribute to the advancement of peace in the region.
To quote a politician during the last years of the Marcos dictatorship, "General, what is happening to our country?"
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(Mong Palatino, 27, is a Filipino youth activist, correspondent for Global Voices and news editor of Yehey!, a Philippine-based web portal He can be reached at mongpalatino@gmail.com. His website is www.mongpalatino.motime.com. ©Copyright Mong Palatino.)
