DATE=5/8/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=PHILIPPINES / MUSLIMS
NUMBER=5-46271
BYLINE=AMY BICKERS
DATELINE=MANILA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Muslims in the Philippines are anxiously
watching the twin hostage crises unfolding in the
Mindanao region, in the southern part of the country.
As Correspondent Amy Bickers reports from Manila, the
country's Muslim community has mixed views on the
Islamic separatist movement and the extreme tactics of
some independence seeking-groups.
TEXT: The tension is palpable at the mosque in the
Quiapo (PRONO: Kee-ya-po) district -- one of Manila's
largest Islamic places of worship. Hundreds of
Manila-based Muslims worship here. Several of those
attending say virtually all are anxious about the
current hostage crisis.
The drama is taking place in the Southern Mindanao
region, home to the Philippines largest Islamic
community and a hotbed of Muslim separatist ambitions.
The spiritual leader of the Quiapo district Muslim
community, Imam Nur, says he is praying for a happy
resolution to the current crises. He says he loathes
the tactics of the Abu Sayyaf group, which has
abducted two groups of captives.
But Imam Nur says he backs the creation of a Muslim
state - the goal of the Abu Sayyaf and other
separatist groups in the southern Philippines.
/// NUR ACT ///
We pray Allah that we become a nation, and we
pray Allah that the people of the Philippines,
Christian, or Muslim, be united in peace. We
cannot deny that we are from Mindanao. We have
so many relatives in the affected areas of war.
We are lonely for the people of Mindanao. That
is why we cry cease-fire and peace-- because of
our relatives in Mindanao.
/// END ACT ///
Within Mr. Nur's mosque, there are a multitude of
views. Like him, most people here say they are ashamed
of the violent tactics of the Abu Sayyaf. Since its
creation in the early 1990's, the group has kidnapped
for ransom, committed numerous murders, and tortured
its victims. Recently, its members shot four
Philippine hostages and government troops discovered
the headless bodies of two other captives.
Haji Ali runs a school for Muslim children in Manila.
He despairs of the Abu Sayyaf actions, and worries
that the group is harming the image of Islam around
the globe. Like many Muslims in the Philippines, he
thinks that the group has no legitimate spiritual ties
to the world of Islam.
/// ALI ACT ///
We are not supporting Abu Sayyaf. We condemn
them because what they are doing is against our
religion. We are worried about the hostages.
We are hoping they will be released by the Abu
Sayyaf. If we have money, and the Abu Sayyaf is
demanding money, we are very willing to give it
to them so they will release the hostages.
/// END ACT ///
Some in the Muslim community take more radical views.
Mohammad Ameril, a community leader, says the violence
may be justified.
/// AMERIL ACT ///
Actually in Islam, and every religion, one is
not allowed to kidnap a woman or children or
even a weak man. But since the only way our cry
will be heard is to do so, we were forced to do
it.
/// END ACT ///
The cry of the Philippine Muslims has been heard since
Spain began colonizing the country more than four-
centuries ago. Muslims, who were living in the
Southern Philippines at the time, resisted conversion
to Catholicism. Ever since, the country's Islamic
minority and Catholic majority have fought over the
rich food and mineral deposits in the region.
In the past few decades, the Philippines' Muslim
separatist movement has splintered into several
groups. The Moro National Liberation Front made peace
with the government in the mid-1990's and created its
own semi-autonomous region. It has joined forces with
Manila in trying to resolve the current hostage
dilemmas.
A more radical splinter group, the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front, alternates between violent
confrontations with the Philippine military and
negotiating sessions with the government.
Many Muslims in Manila, including educator Haji Ali,
say they support the M-I-L-F's goal.
/// ALI ACT ///
We have a great hope that Muslims will be
separate in the Philippines. Because they do
not want the culture of the Muslims, and the
Muslims do not accept the culture of the
Christian communities.
/// END ACT ///
Many Philippine Muslims say they would like to see a
federal political system, in which the country would
be divided into states. Each would have its own laws
but would share a common constitution.
But the Muslim minority, which is about six-percent of
the country's population and is even a minority in
Mindanao, faces a government vowing the Philippines
will never be divided.
Most of the worshippers at the mosque in downtown
Manila agree the tensions over Mindanao are unlikely
to be resolved anytime soon, but they are praying for
an end to the bloodshed. (SIGNED)
NEB/AB/FC/RAE
08-May-2000 09:33 AM EDT (08-May-2000 1333 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
