Mendoza, Samantha Claire C.

LCFAITH Y15
See-Discern-Act Framework
Since 1969, Mindanao has had a long history of conflict among the Moro Muslim
groups, other armed groups and the Philippine Government. For many years, this
conflict has resulted in the displacement of thousands of Filipinos in the area and as
well as damage to infrastructures and shelters. In fact, according to Batac and Bijnen
(2019), the majority of the victims affected by the armed conflict in Mindanao are
ordinary civilians who have either displaced from their communities or killed in the
crossfire by bullets and bombs irregardless of their race, gender or religion. Looking
deeper into the matter, one can’t help but notice the two opposing views of the two
parties and ponder upon how it was all a big misunderstanding. For the central
government, the armed conflict and struggle was viewed as a rebellious act against
them, however, for the other party, it was not merely an act of rebellion but rather a
legitimate exercise of their right for self determination and a response to the historical
injustices and grave human rights violations committed against the peoples of
Mindanao. Taking these two opposing views into account, it is evident that there is a
lack of dialogue among the two parties and that the matter most certainly cannot be
solved through bullets and bombs.

On the brighter side of things, the government indeed has taken progressive
action towards resolving the conflict with the Moro Muslim Groups such as the
ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and while this definitely is a significant step
towards achieving peace and social justice in the region, there is still so much to be
done and there are still issues that are to be addressed such as governance, inclusion,
land distribution, incursion of foreign aid, dealing with shadow economies and violent
extremism (Batac & Bijnen, 2019). The situation at hand calls for the crucial need for
dialogue between the two parties and while as ordinary civilians it is important for us to
advocate and fight for the rights of our fellow Filipinos in Mindanao who are in need of
our help, it is also important that the role the government plays in the resolution of the
conflict is emphasized. To address the situation, it is important for both parties to
engage in dialogue and come into an agreement in order to not only resolve the conflict
but build trust among both parties.

References:
Interview: the Struggle for Peace in Mindanao, the Philippines. (2019). GPPAC.
https://www.gppac.net/news/interview-struggle-peace-mindanao-philippines
Philippines Mindanao Conflict. (n.d.). ACAPS. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from
https://www.acaps.org/country/philippines/crisis/mindanao-conflict