One Philippines, Two Nations

The Mindanao Conflict and the

Perspectives of the Moros in the
Philippines Today

Background
The conflict between the Moros and the
Government of the Philippines has been going
on since the Hispanic Era
Moros had a history of resistance against the
Spanish, Americans and Japanese for over 400
years

 In todays time, the Philippine government and

the Moros have reached an agreement in the
form of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
The BBL shall replace the previous ARMM
(Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao)
This scenario may entail the possibility of One
Philippines, Two Nations, where like in a federal
government, both filipinos and Moros shall be
under one sovereign State, but may develop their
own governments.

 But will this entail a possibility that the

Muslim community in the Philippines shall be
forever separated from mainstream Philippine
culture?

CONTRIBUTIONS
To give further information and emphasize to
all Filipino citizens about having two nations
in the Philippines.
Give information on how the Muslim
community perceives the Bangsamoro Basic
Law.

OBJECTIVES
This research aims to:
1. Give an overview to the resistances made by
the Moros.
2sss. Give emphasis to the Mindanao conflict
2. Tackle the concept of having two nations, and
give possibilities that might occur in the process.
3. Provide the different perspectives of the
Muslim people towards the possibility of having
One Philippines, Two Nations.

Review of Related Literature:

(Villareal, 1987) Conflict Resolution in
Mindanao
Muslims in Mindanao rejected the
colonization of the Spaniards and the
Americans and why they continue to
rebel against a government at
thepresent time.

 (Dumia, 1991)
Discussed extensively how the Tripoli
Agreement signed by the government
and the MNLF came into being and
how it was implemented.
answered how the OIC support the
MNLF struggle against the Philippine
government and how this cooperation
affects national security.

 (Heraclides, 1991)
the Moros sought aid to the neighboring states of
Malaysia and Indonesia, both Muslim, concentrating
efforts upon the Sabah government of Tun Mustapha.
Around 90 young Muslims begin guerrilla training in
west Malaysia.
Upon their return to Mindanao and Sulu, the
guerrillas, who were recruited by the MIM and the
UIFO, help organize local units of the Blackshirts, the
MIMs military wing, with a member among them
being the future founder of the MNLF, NurMisuari.

 Joseph Tan
The (MNLF); first revolutionary group
among young Muslim radicals.
Its emergence came in the wake of a
growing Islamic consciousness among
Philippine Muslims.
Represents the general sentiments among
the Moros of national oppression in the
hands of a Christian dominated Philippine
government.

 Peter Coleman (1996)

The causes of the Muslim problem are
deeply rooted in the Philippines colonial
past while the immediate and current
causes are traced to government neglect
and
abuses,
corrupt
local/traditional
Muslim leaders, agrarian discontent and
land disputes, and the resurgence of the
Islamic religion worldwide.
Land disputes-Christian

 Roland Orzabal (1999)

MNLF, MILF, and the GPHs desire to
annex western Mindanao gets powered by
the lack of economic development and
the resulting major poverty in the region;
thus, it creates a positive feedback loop
that reciprocally reinforces itself: the
more poverty, the more separation; the
more separation, the more poverty.

 Abubakar Jamar (2015)

It seems whatever Iqbal said in front of the
recent Senate hearing and to the media that
the MILF is for peace is totally different from
what the MILF foot soldiers do in reality.
Iqbal saying that MILF didnt want what
happened is not going to convince most
Filipinos that the shooting of the wounded 29
SAF troopers, execution-style was an act of selfdefence especially when the act was caught on
video.

Theoretical Framework
TWO NATIONS THEORY
proponent of this theory is
Muhammad Ali Jinnah who termed it
as the awakening of muslims for the
creation of pakistan.
source of inspiration to several Hindu
nationalist organizations

 Two Nation Theory defines the

ideology that the primary identity
and unifying denominator of muslims
in the South Asian Subcontinen their
language
or
ethnicity,
and
thereofore,
Indian
hindus
and
muslims are two distinct nations
regardless of ethnic commonalities.

Methodology
Historical Method research
facts from the historical past of the
Philippines when it comes to the
complex relationship of the state and
the Muslim in the Philippines today.
Reactions-Muslim
community
in
Manila vs members of the government
and administration of the Republic of
the Philippines.

 (30) people from the Muslim community

(30)
people
from
the
Philippine
Government.
Both group shall be examined on if whether
they are pro or against the ideas that their
perspective
predominant
groups
are
proponent for.
timeline for data collections and analysis
shall take place at least before the last
week of October 2015.