View of Lake Lanao from Tugaya Municipality, Lanao del Sur (photo courtesy of Willy Torres)
Mindanao is an island grouping in the southern Philippines that is comprised of six regions and 25 provinces covering mainland Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest, and a number of islands and islets to the north and the east of its vicinity. Despite being geographically and culturally fragmented, the peoples of Mindanao were historically integrated by trade, which connected them to a broader network that linked the Malay world to China, India, and the Middle East. This vibrant trading network allowed various indigenous communities to flourish since the pre-colonial times and continues to shape Mindanao’s history. The emergence of Islam in Mindanao and the rest of the Philippine islands was brought by trade and was a part of a larger process that swept the Malay Archipelago, which led to the rise of new political orders such as the sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao, and the pangampongs (lake-side principalities) in Ranao (Lanao). The spread of Islam throughout the Philippine archipelago was eventually interrupted by external military incursions and a prolonged period of colonization by foreign powers, which contributed to the formation of the Philippine Republic.
This turbulent history of colonization, resistance, and accommodation, coupled with the process of state formation across a multi-ethnic spectrum, has resulted to deeply divided societies in some areas of Mindanao. Decades of government neglect and perceived injustices have accentuated these societal divides as some of these subnational areas remain underdeveloped and continue to experience protracted cycles of violence. The sources of conflict in these areas are quite complex, which sometimes overlap and interact. For instance, the region has multiple armed insurgent movements which is further complicated by localized conflicts stemming from rido (clan feuds), political rivalries, criminality, and intercommunal tensions. Some parts of Mindanao also struggle with resource conflicts especially in areas considered by indigenous peoples (lumads) their ancestral domain.
The major insurgent groups operating in Mindanao are the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation front (MNLF), New People’s Army (NPA – the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines), and their various breakaway groups. The presence of these insurgent groups is exacerbated by the activities of armed criminal elements operating in the same areas, taking advantage of the volatile security environment. The activities of insurgent groups and criminal elements has caused instability and led to heavy military presence in subnational conflict areas. The state security forces present in these areas include the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), which are complemented by local force multipliers such as the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGUs), Special Civilian Active Auxiliaries (SCAA), and at the barangay (village) level, the Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs). Meanwhile, local politicians also have their own private armies.
The Philippine Government is currently negotiating with each of these major insurgent groups at separate peace tables. The peace talks between the Government the MILF have shown significant progress with the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro on October 15, 2012. This framework agreement, together with its annexes on power sharing, wealth sharing, normalization, and transitional arrangements will comprise the Comprehensive Agreement which both panels aim to sign within 2013. Earlier, the Government signed the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with another insurgent group, the MNLF. However the Final Peace Agreement was not fully implemented and a Tripartite Review process was instituted in 2007 to find ways to improve its implementation.
The recent progress in the peace talks between the Government and MILF did not sit well with some members of the MNLF, as they accused the government of reneging on the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. On September 9, 2013, an MNLF faction associated with Nur Misuari staged a rally in Zamboanga City which spiralled into violence when civilian hostages were taken. After negotiations failed, running gun battles between the MNLF and the AFP destroyed more than 10,000 homes, displaced more than 100,000 people, and left more than 200 people dead. Despite this tragedy there are also others in the MNLF who see hope in the comprehensive agreement being crafted by the Government and the MILF and are willing to try out the new political arrangements. Elsewhere, the peace negotiations between the Government and the CPP/NPA/NDF remain at a standstill.
Until a comprehensive, just, and inclusive peace agreement is reached with the different insurgent groups, the security situation in subnational areas of Mindanao will remain volatile. The continued presence of armed groups and the constant threat of highly localized and unpredictable flare-ups pose a serious challenge to local peace building efforts such as zones of peace.