Co-existence

There’s an interesting dig at a conversation made by a journalist with a young Tausug over at rebelpen (http://rebelpen.wordpress.com). That entry shows you why young Tausugs turn into rebels overnight. Analysts would always blame poverty for this. Yes, probably. But, gut issues just concretize their prevailing beliefs. It is not the sole reason why Muslim youth rebel against the system.

Its their interpretation of history. It’s their prevailing belief that they have been subjugated by Christians. It is how they view the world. 

Look, Islamic culture is different from Christian beliefs. That much we need to admit. We believe there’s a thin barrier separating these religious philosophies together but that barrier is more illusory than fact. 

The more Christian settlers in that part of the world hammer their own laws, their own beliefs and their own system of doing things, the more radicalize these Muslim youths become. Why?

Because their history is one of subjugation. There’s no co-existence happening in Mindanao. What exists is an uneasy tolerance between both cultures that would definitely lead to conflict. Its just a matter of time before this explodes in our faces.

That leads us to one question–what’s the cause of this? The obvious answer is weak government. Government is supposed to be the equalizer, the neutralizer. The neutralizing or equalizing force is the enforcement of law, which, to my memory, is non-existent. When governments are weak, the more conflict a society gets because there’s no force that enforces the laws. When people feel aggrieved and when laws are perceived to be unequal, favoring a certain culture or system of beliefs over the other, war is inevitable.

IN the case of Mindanao, how do you expect the Bangsamoro to follow Philippine laws when these laws have been predicated from Graeco-Roman precepts, totally antithetical with Shariah or Islamic law? Would you expect a devout Muslim to follow a law based on Christian beliefs? No.

In our case, it would be very hard to find a “middle ground”.