RELIGIOUSLY MOTIVATED CIVIL WAR IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

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Arab traders brought Islam to the southern part of the Philippines in the 13^th century. Several of its southern provinces remain predominantly Muslim at the present time. The rest of the country is Christian -- almost entirely Roman Catholic. 

Friction between the Muslim south and Christian north has been a continual problem for centuries. Intermittently, it flares up into open conflict. The largest guerilla force is currently the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). They claim to control 26 southern "territories;" the government admits that they have taken charge in only ten. Their aim is succession from the national government. Newsroom ₂ claims that about 120,000 people have been killed over many decades.

During 1999, over 50,000 families (over 300,000 people) were displaced from their homes. From 2000-JAN to mid-MAR, another 75,000 civilians had to be relocated from the area of conflict. In 2000-FEB, a bombing campaign killed 36 and wounded 49. The government and rebels blame each other for the attacks. The deaths triggered a second round of peace talks between the government and rebels. Both sides have declared a cease-fire. 

A Roman Catholic priest who is helping monitor the cease-fire, Eliseo Mercado, commented: "We must prepare for the worst." He said that the national government exhibited "no vision" towards the peace process, which he described as "directionless and ambiguous."

Philippines Defense Secretary, Orlando Mercado, has said: "There are people instigating the Christian community to go after the Muslims.  Let us not allow this to degenerate into a Muslim-Christian conflict."

A MILF spokesman, Al Haj Murad, has been quoted as saying that military and police officials were creating unrest in the south in order to destabilize the national government and justify a military takeover of the country.  He said that the MILF had three government infiltrators in custody who they accuse of being responsible for the recent bomb attacks. The military has dismissed these claims as "fantasy."

In 2000-MAR, The National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the Catholic Bishops' Conference were organizing a joint peace committee to mediate in the conflict.

Recent developments: