Philippine Muslim rebels to take case to UN

He criticized President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s government for backing out of the deal after 11 years of negotiations, and said militants within the rebel ranks who are opposed to the peace process may stage fresh attacks.

“After long years, we came to a point that seemed to bolster what the anti-negotiation groups are saying: that the government could not be trusted,” Iqbal said.  >>>>>

Top Philippine court rejects Muslim autonomy deal

The Philippine Supreme Court threw out on Tuesday a proposed accord to grant minority Muslims expanded autonomy after Christian protests and renewed fighting convinced the government to abandon the deal.  >>>>>

This renewed fighting is exactly what was wanted.  To label them as Christian protests, instead of Philipino protests shows exactly the direction they are intending this to move toward – a war against Muslims.  Philippines is a secular nation.  But it is easy to pit each other against religious ideologies in order to safeguard the weak substance of a so-called Western-styled democracy.  The U.S. actually has more to gain, contrary to what the article says, if there was conflict in the region.  It tends to weaken Philippines own government’s disagreements and overall independence from the U.S., and naturally justifies having more a military, albeit advisor, presence in the Philippines.

Why is it that when Christian-populated East Timor wanted to separate from the democratically elected, majority-Muslim populated Indonesia, it was portrayed as something good in secular newspapers.  When Muslim-populated Mindanao wants separation from majority-populated Catholic Philippines, it is not good.  The same question can be raised about Chechnya, Palestine, Mauritania, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria and Egypt, amongst other nations — democracy is not factored in by those who champion democracy.

It’s is only used as a pep-rally cheer to bring forth the cause of the powerful.  Yes, the powerful seek ‘democracy’, when it is usually a corruption of democratic values and rule of the fundamental laws that gave them the power to begin with.

If those Muslims in Mindanoa were carrying a red, white and blue banner, and had white skin, and carrying crosses and the Bible; then them seeking autonomy would be heard around the world as a legitimate cause….even if they yelled from the top of the lungs, “Give me liberty, or give me death.”  Since this isn’t the case, they are mere rebels who should not want autonomy.

MILF did not provoke military air strikes — CHR

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights’ initial investigation into the deaths of six civilians in an aerial attack by Philippine Air Force planes in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, last August 15 showed the attack was not provoked by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the commission’s head said Saturday.

This contradicted the military’s claim that the MILF fired at their plane, an SF-260, leading the plane’s pilot to fire back, killing the civilians. Earlier reports said helicopter gun ships were also involved in the attack. >>>>>

It seems that ‘democracies’ around the world have the greatest public-relations campaigns, post tragedies, than the opposing forces; and somehow effectively calm down attacks against them — while they inching away from culpability in the eyes of the masses.  More disturbingly, it also allows the oppressors to further encroach, and “justifiably so.” The fact that the mainstream media helps them with this, by reporting less fact and more hype for the ‘official version’ makes them conspirators to these war crimes.

Fighting in southern Philippines kills 19 Muslim rebels: military

The attacks came after the Supreme Court suspended a draft agreement on August 4 that was intended to pave the way for a formal peace accord between the government and the rebel group.

Although the violence has led to a halt in the peace talks, President Gloria Arroyo said in her address to the United Nations earlier this week that she was committed to negotiations with the Muslim rebel group.  >>>>>

US plays both sides in the Philippines

But what interests have the USIP, the US military, and the other US government agencies been advancing? Analysts have advanced two possibilities. The US is now supporting moves toward the creation of a more autonomous – or even an independent – pro-US Bangsamoro state as a hedge against a more pro-China Philippines. Or the United States has only been manipulating the peace talks to deliberately foment and prolong conflict between Filipinos and Moros in order to justify its sustained intervention in Mindanao. Both assume common underlying geostrategic objectives: access to natural resources, including potential oil reserves, as well as military basing.  >>>>>

Muslim unrest in RP may spread to neighbors: analysts

President Arroyo this week scrapped the government panel handling the negotiations, a move analysts say ended any hopes of settling the four-decades-old Muslim insurgency before she leaves office in 2010.

They fear the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which had been negotiating for a Muslim homeland on the revolt-hit southern Mindanao island, may now splinter into smaller and more radical groups. >>>>>

Philippines scraps peace panel on Muslim rebellion: official

Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF’s chief peace negotiator, said Arroyo’s move signalled the government was preparing to intensify its military attacks to include the entire rebel force and not just the two commanders.

“I don’t want to imagine that happening, but the MILF is prepared for any offensive,” Iqbal told AFP. “We have to invoke our right to self defence.”  >>>>>

Mindanao Ceasefire Urged in Ramadan

MANILA — As the fasting month of Ramadan draws nearer, a Catholic bishop has urged the Philippine government to cease hostilities in the Muslim-predominantly south during the holy month, to the deaf ear of the government. “I would press the government not to continue the fighting even, especially at the Ramadan time,”… >>>>>

Muslim solon calls for Ramadan truce

MANILA, Philippines — A Muslim lawmaker has called on the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to observe a ceasefire, at least during the month-long observance of Ramadan.

The worldwide Muslim month of fasting is scheduled to start here on September 1.  >>>>>

Muslim nations condemn Philippine rebel attacks

MANILA, Philippines: The world Islamic bloc on Wednesday condemned violent attacks on civilians by Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines that prompted the government to launch an offensive and scrap a preliminary peace deal. >>>>>

Philippines rejects call to halt offensives against Muslim rebels

The Philippines Sunday rejected calls to halt military offensives against Muslim separatist rebels who launched a spate of deadly attacks in the country’s troubled south.  Eduardo Ermita, presidential executive secretary, said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) should take responsibility for the attacks that killed 102 people and displaced more than 240,000 residents.  >>>>>

‘halt offensives against Muslim…” sounds to me like Muslims are under attack.  If they try and survive, it then becomes terrorism.  Before providing the excuse that they are in land not their own, let’s ask why does the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan have a different set of standards — as they are in lands not their own.

Philippines rejects call to halt offensives against Muslim rebels

Manila – The Philippine government on Sunday rejected calls to halt military offensives against Muslim separatist rebels who launched a spate of deadly attacks in the country’s troubled south.   >>>>>

Philippines drops Muslim peace deal after dithering

MANILA, Aug 22 (Reuters) – The Philippines government will not sign a peace deal with the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, irrespective of a Supreme Court ruling on its legality, the chief government spokesman said on Friday.

The comments from Jesus Dureza signal the end of a territorial agreement reached last month between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is fighting for partial self-rule in the mineral-rich Mindanao region.  >>>>>

This was a very predictable event.  What would you do if someone promised you something – as valuable as freedom and autonomy, shook hands on it, put it in writing; then somehow came back and informed you, while holding weapons and saying, “Whatever we did, – I take back.”  Credibility will be lost and a larger rift between parties will take place; hence continuing – war.  And of course, who will the Western World support?  Not the party that has the just right; but the party we agree to support and stand by – regardless of their decision…sound familiar?

Don’t let the picture frighten you.  He’s a man with his face covered, who happens to be in the field or at a rally, making a statement.  “This is part of the propaganda.  We fail, so we make the other guy look bad.  The public will eat this stuff up.”

Amnesty warns Philippines against arming militias

ILIGAN, Philippines: Local political leaders in the southern Philippines have started arming civilians to protect against Muslim rebel attacks, a dangerous development that could further escalate violence, Amnesty International said Friday.  >>>>>

Project ISLAM reaches out to Mindanao evacuees

BAGUIO CITY – A Mindanao-based group has started reaching out to families who are fleeing conflicts that have raged in some parts of the island since the secessionist movement broke out in 1969.

Col. Johnny Macanas, camp commander of the Philippine Military Academy and founder of Project Islam (“I Sincerely Love All Muslims”), is trying to develop a network of volunteers to build a resource trust for migrants from Mindanao, now that revived conflicts could increase the number of displaced families.  >>>>>

Philippines says to review, not cancel, peace deal

The Philippines said on Thursday it would review a peace deal with the country’s biggest Muslim rebel group after fighting broke out this week, softening an earlier stance that the agreement would be cancelled.  But a senior leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rejected calls for re-negotiating the deal, throwing efforts to end the decades-long conflict in the mineral and resource-rich Mindanao region into further disarray.  >>>>>

Interesting how the MILF  doesn’t want to re-negotiate and THAT’s what is throwing efforts…into further disarray.  Many statutes regarding fraud and/or breaching contracts in the U.S. start out by explaining that a law is needed to protect against these actions in order to prevent people from acting in an uncivil manner.

Philippine Muslim Separatists Try to Rein In Renegade Units

A Philippine Muslim separatist group engaged in peace talks with the government said it is trying to rein in renegade commanders, after fighting on a southern island yesterday left at least 26 people dead.

“We are trying to pacify them,” Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu said by telephone today. Some fighters are “irritable” after plans to expand the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao were scuttled by the Supreme Court this month, he added.  >>>>>

We kind of knew that the President’s move to sign the deal was done in vain.  The bureaucracy of democracy allows for the buck to be passed and go completely against the original spirit while the public-relations specialists spin their way out of it.

Bloody attacks in southern Philippines, 34 dead

…The attack is the bloodiest since a territorial deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front stalled earlier this month and comes just days after government troops halted an offensive against MILF rebels in another part of Mindanao.  >>>>>

No sense in the leader of a democracy making deals when there are ways, as was predicted, to go back on those deals.

iMuslim rebels kill 7 soldiers in Philippine South

MANILA, Aug 17 (Reuters) – Muslim separatists killed at least seven Philippine soldiers and wounded a dozen more in an ambush on Sunday on the troubled southern island of Mindanao, the military said.  >>>>>

Philippine Muslim group ‘withdraws’

Muslim fighters have begun withdrawing from positions in the southern Philippines after several days of heavy fighting.  >>>>>