Misuari being resurrected to undermine the MILF

Robert Maulana Alonto

Dhu al-Qa'dah 13, 1419 1999-03-01

South-East Asia

by Robert Maulana Alonto (South-East Asia, Crescent International Vol. 28, No. 1, Dhu al-Qa'dah, 1419)

At a time when the Philippine mililtary is under immense pressure from the mujahideen of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao, the Manila regime has tried to give the rival Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) a new lease of life. The regime of president Joseph Estrada announced on February 18 that elections in the so-called Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) scheduled for November this year would be postponed indefinitely. This gives the three-year term of the ARMM governor, Nur Misuari, chairman of the defunct MNLF, an extension of life.

Misuari and the MNLF capitulated to the Philippine government in 1996 after which he was ‘elected’ in a ‘no-contest’ vote as the ARMM governor with no real power save that of the privilege to enrich himself, his family, and former buddies in the MNLF from funds

allocated to his office. Besides the postponment of elections, the Philippine government is equipping the ARMM with police powers to enable it to actively participate in the ‘peace and order’ campaign in Mindanao, meaning fighting against the MILF.

It was Misuari himself who demanded that the ARMM be given police powers so that he can establish peace in the war-torn Bangsamoro homeland. The ARMM covers four Muslim provinces: Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Misuari is from the island-province of Sulu as are most members of his MNLF.

At the end of January, the MILF mujahideen gave the Filipino army a bloody nose in week-long fighting in various parts of Maguindanao province after which it agreed to respect the ceasefire and offered to hold talks with Ustadz Salamat Hashim, Chairman of the MILF (See Crescent International, February 16-28, 1999, for details).

Muslims are of the opinion that by resurrecting Misuari from oblivion and equipping him with police powers, the Philippine government is pitting the pro-government MNLF against the MILF, the Abu Sayyaf Group and other Islamic revolutionary organizations fighting for the establishment of an independent Islamic State in the Bangsamoro homeland.

As we went to press, Misuari had called his former ‘state chairmen’ and commanders in the MNLf for an urgent meeting in Manila. Of course, all expenses are to be paid by the Estrada regime. It is, however, public knowledge that many of Misuari’s armed fighters and veterans of the 70’s war have gone over to the MILF, including the ulama whom Misuari had used in the past to clothe his secularist ‘revolution’ with an aura of Islamicity.

In fact, the Islamic Command Council (ICC) constitutes all of Misuari’s closest associates who denounced him when he betrayed the

Bangsamoro cause. The ICC’s military arm is headed by the former MNLF chief of staff, Commander Melham. The ICC, like the Abu Sayyaf Group, coordinates its operations with the MILF in military actions against Philippine forces in Mindanao and in the island provinces.

Muslimedia: March 1-15, 1999