Philippine President Pushing to Create an Autonomous Muslim Region

I have not spent anytime in the Philippines since 1973 where I attended jungle survival school. I have flown into the airport to drop of a plane load of passengers many times since then. The airport runway sucks as it is very bumpy.

For the last 40+ years there has been a serious conflict between the mostly Catholic Filipinos and the Muslim minority. As the article says some 120,000 (under reported IMO) people have died in the conflict not to mention all the kidnappings for ransom. As I have written in other post this is the third stage where they get their own state, with their laws and the ability to tax their new State population. I will predict that once they are consolidated in their recognized state and space, within a short matter of time (less than 20 years) all the killings will start again and end up looking something like Pakistan and India. There really is no alternative for those who are tired of the killing and bombing so appeasement will be tried. Old Old play book.

With President Benigno Aquino pushing the Philippine Congress today to pass a bill that would establish an autonomous Muslim region in the country, the Southeast Asian nation could be closer to taking the next step in shutting down a rebellion that has left more than 120,000 people dead.

President Aquino called on lawmakers to quickly push the bill through to create the autonomous region, which would be called the Bangsamoro area, and would encompass the island of Mindanao. This development comes on the heels of successful negotiations that took place in March, and after over 40 years of conflict between Muslim rebels in the predominantly Roman Catholic country.

news.vice.com...

According to Kugelman, one of the notable aspects of the bill is that the autonomous leadership in Bangsamoro would implement Islamic Law, but it would only be applicable to Muslims, and Christians would be exempt.

And I have a bridge in an unknown place I want to sell you !
Within a short time of consolidation those who are not Muslim will be forced out of the neighborhood or village through intimidation... Examples of this are numerous in many places of the world. If I am wrong, then as long as the killings stop I say good for both sides. However, if I am correct the Philippines will have a bigger war than they have had since WWll in probably just a few short generations. Sincerely I hope history does not repeat for them; to much bloodshed already.

a reply to: 727Sky

Wow. So these Religious Extreme Entities are at it again.

When will this Religious battle end???

Its going on in way too many Country's now and despite what people say, I believe we made a mistake giving them their Freedoms to move around and to move out of their Homeland which was and still is the ME. We should have left them there. They have caused nothing but War!

a reply to: 727Sky

If it happens, one of the 2 sides will be peaceful. Guess which one, (....if not named. Gaza 2 the new one).

a reply to: 727Sky

this just underscores the fact that modern living in a civilized society is an arrangement that begs for Muslim Jihad

"clash of cultures" is not a cliche'



P.S.

this paradigm was given form in the series Star trek...where the Klingons were thoroughly engaged in their own personal Jihads and collectively they were nurtured on war, violence and all of One's life was a battle (Jihad) in some form or another...

a reply to: 727Sky
Damn, Great Find S & F
My Friend, The Muslims would sooner than later start fighting among themselves.
Plus they Would Try or at-lest insist that all who live in Bangsamoro would fall under Muslim Law, no one would be Exempt!

This is a scary thing, but the fighting in the Zamboanga region has been extreme...the city was held hostage for quite some time last year. President Aquino might not know anything else to do. To deliver the whole island of Mindinao is quite extreme and would be a great loss for the catholics and christians in that area...as well as to the economy, and even the local Visaya people.

I will keep my eyes on this story, as I have many friends in those parts.

a reply to: 727Sky

To those aware of how those sort of things work, the quote from you below is very apropo:

"And I have a bridge in an unknown place I want to sell you !"

Let me change that to a more definite statement to clarify my interpretation of your words:

"Build them a bridge and they will come."

The Philippine government is and has been inutile for decades, beginning with President Aquino's housewife mother after the so called EDSA People's Power Revolution. That was simply transferring the reigns of power from dictator Marcos' family dynasty to the Cojuangco-Aquino family dynasty that is in power now... Along with the Marcos family to this day.

In my opinion this is all about money and perpetual fighting for the government vs. parts of Mindanao island.

Muslims in Mindanao date back hundreds and hundreds of years, and they were historically known for kidnapping people from other parts of the Philippines to a point where many Filipinos are scared of them in general.

In my opinion this is all about money and perpetual fighting for the government vs. parts of Mindanao island. Now Mindanao is an ongoing non-stop war zone for the corrupted politicians and military to profit from. American soldiers are also involved in training and whatever else, unofficially of course. Typically the government has given money to the rebels or the region to stop fighting the government. Then, as usual, the money is used to buy more weapons (who is selling them, probably military), and the fighting goes on ad infinitum.

I really don't see this happening to give them full autonomy, but if it does, it won't last long. My 2 cents.

originally posted by: Philippines


I really don't see this happening to give them full autonomy, but if it does, it won't last long. My 2 cents.

Do you think it would collapse from lack of economy? As it is, tourism adds a great deal of money to Mindinao, from what I understand. So the loss of potential tourist dollars could cause a small collapse? Or do you believe that something else could cause the collapse?

I just ran into a newly arrived lady from the Philippines who lives in the island closest to China, where she says they are conducting Chinese exercises and scaring the locals ominously about their future. I don't know much about that area's political history, but she feels certain that if WW3 breaks out, her island would be invaded and taken over by them first.

So it would seem that the Islands will never know tranquility and peace. They seem to be pawns for a game being played by everyone else. Let's hope Mindanao's future is not as you predict.

originally posted by: kelbtalfenek

originally posted by: Philippines


I really don't see this happening to give them full autonomy, but if it does, it won't last long. My 2 cents.

Do you think it would collapse from lack of economy? As it is, tourism adds a great deal of money to Mindinao, from what I understand. So the loss of potential tourist dollars could cause a small collapse? Or do you believe that something else could cause the collapse?

Good questions, let me try to rephrase it. Most likely this will not pass legislation until next year, if at all . Next year is ramping up to 2016 elections. The politicians are very slow and mostly self-serving useless-to-the-people delusional idiots. They care more about staying in power and building their family dynasty(s)... /rant

Anyways, I can't give a fair opinion on lack of economy and much else except what has been historically going on. I think nothing will pass legally, and if it did, it would probably break down for secession or go violent, both, who knows. It just seems like a region no centralized control would ever work on in the long term.

a reply to: aboutface

Given an Islamic threat the people of the Philippines shouldn't fear an Chinese Invasion. Sorry, but realistically what's actually wrong abut being a citizen of China these days? For all intents and purposes it's a wealthy modern nation, the only negative is population controls which you have to figure will relax if they expand resources... in the meantime they arrest less people etc, etc than the USA, your free to love, study, work at what you want just like any place else... plus they will make the place awesome, ever see a Chinese city these days? people are living in shacks in the Philippines, they'd probably end up in a similar situation as Puerto Rico which is.... really nice. Why not just open your arms to them?

Meanwhile... choice 2, Convert or die... That would last 3 seconds under Chinese rule lol

originally posted by: Philippines




Good questions, let me try to rephrase it. Most likely this will not pass legislation until next year, if at all . Next year is ramping up to 2016 elections. The politicians are very slow and mostly self-serving useless-to-the-people delusional idiots. They care more about staying in power and building their family dynasty(s)... /rant

I've got to agree with you, having heard first hand accountings and having read news articles about this type of behavior.

Anyways, I can't give a fair opinion on lack of economy and much else except what has been historically going on. I think nothing will pass legally, and if it did, it would probably break down for secession or go violent, both, who knows. It just seems like a region no centralized control would ever work on in the long term.

Seems that I've heard it's been a very violent place for quite some time...travel alerts and such for non-natives traveling west of CDO. Kidnappings, and straight up thuggery. So it doesn't seem that far off the mark that the "leaders" within that Muslim movement would find fault with one thing or another within the various groups (which have splintered more than once.) So you may be right.

originally posted by: kelbtalfenek

originally posted by: Philippines




Good questions, let me try to rephrase it. Most likely this will not pass legislation until next year, if at all . Next year is ramping up to 2016 elections. The politicians are very slow and mostly self-serving useless-to-the-people delusional idiots. They care more about staying in power and building their family dynasty(s)... /rant

I've got to agree with you, having heard first hand accountings and having read news articles about this type of behavior.

Anyways, I can't give a fair opinion on lack of economy and much else except what has been historically going on. I think nothing will pass legally, and if it did, it would probably break down for secession or go violent, both, who knows. It just seems like a region no centralized control would ever work on in the long term.

Seems that I've heard it's been a very violent place for quite some time...travel alerts and such for non-natives traveling west of CDO. Kidnappings, and straight up thuggery. So it doesn't seem that far off the mark that the "leaders" within that Muslim movement would find fault with one thing or another within the various groups (which have splintered more than once.) So you may be right.

It is violent, especially in the West. There are "safe" places like the rest of the world, and as such you should always be careful wherever you are.

Speaking of thuggery, even the Mayor Duterte of Davao got this headline in the last 24 hours:

"Duterte on ‘hulidap’ cops: Don’t do it in my city or I’ll kill you"
(“Hulidap” refers to arresting civilians on trumped-up charges and releasing them in exchange for money.)
newsinfo.inquirer.net... hulidap-cops-dont-do-it-in-my-city-or-ill-kill-you

There are too many things going on there, along with rolling brownouts because of a poor electricity grid, to think it will evolve into something for "progress" in the long term imo.

originally posted by: TruthxIsxInxThexMist
a reply to: 727Sky

Wow. So these Religious Extreme Entities are at it again.

When will this Religious battle end???

Its going on in way too many Country's now and despite what people say, I believe we made a mistake giving them their Freedoms to move around and to move out of their Homeland which was and still is the ME. We should have left them there. They have caused nothing but War!

actually like Philippines said, this has been going on hundreds of years. these are not people that have come from the mid east (at least for hundreds of years), it has come about due to the Spaniards occupation of the islands back in the 1500's. and just like in South America the Catholic faith came with them intent on making everyone Catholic. so in all honesty you can say the problems with the Muslims here can be squarely blamed on the Spanish and Catholic church for today's problems and the way they were treated way back them (not that Catholic Filipinos were treated much better). things like taking land from Muslims and given to Catholics, in a move to wipe out the Muslim faith. it's really amazing how problems like this can last over 500 years. rather like a lot of people in the US still go on and blame a lot of the black people's problems on slavery that ended a couple hundred years ago, or the Native Americans still going on about their treatment at the hands of the settlers/conquerors hundreds of years ago. not to say any of that was fair, but it was far back before any of us were around yet and so really have no responsibility for what happened in the far distant past. in fact if you think about it all this anger is misplaced if people should still feel the need to be upset they should at least direct their anger to those that caused their problems. the Muslims here should be going after the Catholic church and Spanish government for what happened. the black people should be pissed at the British government, and those countries involved in the slave trade like Africa, Spain and the Dutch. and the Native Americans should be bitching about and to the British, French, and Spanish governments for their issues.

a reply to: Philippines

It's very sad, honestly. The majority of the Filipino people are very endearing and welcoming. Sad to see how they are being taken advantage of...out of greed (for power and money.)

i really hold no hope that even if they are given autonomy it will work out and stop the problems. i think it was just last year they worked out a peace deal, with the main Muslim terrorist group. all that it dd was cause groups to split off and continue the fight, since they didn't get what they wanted. i can see similar happening with this. they don't just want their people ruled by their laws, but everybody. i rather suspect that they even want to take the land back (that they lost a few hundred years ago), from any non Muslim. just look at the way some of them attacked Malaysia a year or so back, trying to reclaim land that was sold back in the distant past. it seems the sultan (or heirs) wanted his kingdom back. and that was something that was bought from them. why would they want anything less in this case?

they need to come to terms that this is how things are now, they are a part of a country that is not Muslim, and is not under their laws. if they want to go after someone over it, then they should go after those that caused the situation, Spain and the Catholic church not those that had nothing to do with it.

a reply to: 727Sky

I've visited family, have been stationed, worked in, and have lived in the Philippines at various times since 1980.

I agree, it won't last long. They will probably want to eventually secede and once again a lot of blood will be spilled. And it will be deja vu all over again.

An Autonomous Muslim state in the Nation's geographical borders would require that that Muslim-Autonomous-State remain separate...

pretty much like the Native-American Nation's (Indian Reservations) in the USA are now

if the Autonomous People want to get uppity... then it will be WAR...
hell, Let them hang themselves like they have done for over 1,000 years in their Native Lands that are little more than death traps for the common folks but the Princes live in splendor (and Allah PBUH) did not ordain that situation

~enclaves of misery and decadence~ instead of becoming an Oasis of technological achievement which would be progress for the whole population instead of being in voluntary submission to the carnal Imams living on the misery of the downtrodden masses (i.e.: schadenfreuden)

but, perhaps I am just blowing smoke...huh?

a reply to: Philippines

My wife doesn't like This. She wishes she could take me there but she is too scared to go there herself, and I would probably be kidnapped or killed if I went.