When I was in elementary my first encounter with a Muslim was the sweet and hellish sensation of the Durian fruit. They bought this to school every so often and the room was filled up with the smell of durian. We played and interacted with them there really was no difference. I could see none. They just did not attend religion class and one of my friends got punched because he played a really bad joke on my Muslim friend … friend – a friend is a friend.

Through the years I dealt and had frienships with our Muslim countrymen. And I saw no essential difference . Sinners and Saints all of us were. Good and bad deeds are done by people irregardless of race or creed.

Like most of you I have been monitoring of the events concerning Mindanao the past few days. The MOA, the attacks, the dead piling up, and the refugees: Images, sounds and stories from the region that triggers a visceral reaction.

Hearing the discussion a few feet away or online among friends can be interesting. One could feel the frustration and anger rising as the number of the dead, wounded and scarred continue to rise.

I was a bit hesitant to write a commentary on the situation because: (1) I am not from there and I might know all the facts; (2)It is hard to write an opinion piece when one is afflicted by jingoism.

We don’t want to fight but by Jingo if we do
We’ve got the ships, we’ve got the men, we’ve got the money too
We’ve fought the Bear before, and while we’re Britons true
The Russians shall not have Constantinople.

Of course the terms refers to an aggressive foreign policy but in this instance it seems applicable. For the moment.

And naturally when someone meets someone from Mindanao the conversation moves towards a very familiar topic:

Friend:we’re very concerned, but not for our safety.

me: yeah

Friend: we’re concerned about what’s happening to the victims.. may mga donations na nga eh, may nagmo-mobilize ng mga donations.alam mo, here in Davao, being a christian or muslim is not a big thing. we live together without thinking about our differences

Me: So why the MILF?

Friend: it’s complicated breakaway yan ng MNLF eh diba? They’re more militant
they’re more adamant about their being not Filipinos. They actually want to be a separate state

Me: I hesitate writing about it kasi nga malayo ako. So minority sila ?

Friend: kaso, kakaunti lang sila eh… all of the muslims in Mindanao, they’re only 10% of the whole population of the island problem is, most of them live in poverty … may mga sobrang yamang muslim, but they are very very few

Whatever one thinks of this point of view. I found it important because it brings to light the complexity of the problem. Its not just a matter of returning the ancestral land anymore. Mindanao has become a melting pot of cultures where I believe in the normal course of things Filipinos have learned to exist side by side and prosper.

Poverty, ancient grudge, politics,corruption , zealotry and personal ambitions on both sides have contributed to what seemed to be a never ending war in the South.

If this continues what are we looking at sectarian violence and pogroms?

Attacks against the civilian populations through out the country?

An eventual partition of Mindanao?

If there are groups that want to secede from the country then let them do it if they can and hold to it. If they can.

At present waltzing around the negotiation table is as useful as cupping a corpse. It is hard to negotiate when one side has not given up the armed option or has no control over its army while the other side seems to be following the likes Neville Chamberlain at Munich – practicing vermi-negotiation or the art and science of negotiations by the worms at Munich.

Meanwhile, the war continues and people are hurt. A few hours ago a bomb was exploded in Zamboanga. Will this again reach the other corners of the country. Another bomb in the MRT or LRT?

Is this jingoism? No. This is a matter of national self defense.

It is the duty of the State to protect the citizens who opt to stay in this country. Otherwise these same citizens will go to other means to protect themselves.

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