MilitantIslam’s Expansion in the Southern Philippines
Anastasia Pentzakoff
The rise of militant Islam in thesouthern Philippinesposes catastrophic consequences for the future of the Philippines andthe world in regards to the escalation of terrorism. Militant Islam plays amajor role in the southern Philippines,terrorizing that region as well as the Philippine government. It is the purposeof this paper to expose the gravity of militant Islam in the Philippines andits significance in relation to the threat of terrorism. This paper provides anunderlying background of how Islam evolved in the Philippines, tracing itsdevelopment from the traditional religion of Islam to its present state andpractice of militant Islam. This paper discusses three militant Islamic groupsin particular that prompted the rise of militant Islam, thus creating awelcoming environment for terrorist groups, namely Al-Qa’ida, to further theirterrorist goals. Included is an explanation of the specific factors that setthe Philippines apart from other countries, making the Philippines moresusceptible in playing a greater role in the acceleration of terrorism. Basedupon the information and arguments of many distinguished sources, my ownperspective regarding the severity of militant Islam in the Philippines isincorporated as well. In order to understand militant Islam’s rise to power, itis vital to explore its beginnings.
It is important to distinguishbetween the traditional religion of Islam and the more popular ideology, whichtransformed into the practice of militant Islam. The religion of Islamliterally refers to the submission to the will of God and seeks to teach humanshow to live in accordance with God’s will.[1]Muslim traders from the Indonesian islands were among the first people to bringthe Islamic religion to the Philippines.By 1500, Islam was established in Sulu Archipelago and spread from there to Mindanao; it also reached the Manilaarea.[2]A Muslim community arose throughout the Philippines; however, it remainedcentered in the southern Philippines.The people of this southern region are referred to as the Moro people. Overtime through their intermarriages, the Muslim population expanded and begandominating. Naturally, the religion of Islam became the dominant religion.However, problems with the Muslims arose when the Spanish came to colonize the Philippines.One of their objectives was to convert the Filipinos to Christianity. The Spaniardssucceeded in occupying the islands; however, they failed to convert themcompletely because of active resistance in the south.[3]By means of intense fighting, the southern region managed to sustain itsIslamic religion. Spain’srule came to an end in 1898 as the result of the United States, which proceeded tocolonize the Philippinessoon after. The Americans did not try to enforce Christianity with violencelike the Spanish; instead they tried to impose it through the education of theMoro rulers in the south.[4]Not only did this prompt Muslim resentment to grow even more, but the educationalso paved the way for Islamic rulers to enter into the political sphere.Eventually, the Philippinesbecame an independent nation. The Philippine government has attempted quite afew times to disperse its Muslim population by moving Christians into the southfrom the north. Nevertheless, the south remains predominantly Muslim, while themajority of the Philippinesis Catholic. The Muslims only comprise approximately five percent of thepopulation of the Philippines[5];however, they have strong clout in the southern region, which accounts fortheir strength in the Philippines.
The Muslims’ strength derives fromtheir defensive nature that they acquired during periods of colonization whenthey had to defend their religion as well as region. The Muslims came togetheras a community, strengthening their identification with Islam. This led to anincreased interest to the ideology of Islamism. Islamism is profoundly differentin that it is more of a political order with an emphasis on communitiesaspiring to create a new order.[6]This ideology took control over the south; and the Muslims became a centralelement in the national policy-making.[7]Islamism is a slightly radical form of Islam, where the goal includes promotingIslam within the political influence. Specifically in the southern Philippines,the goal consists of gaining an independent Islamic state by penetrating thepolitical field with its own Islamic members. From Islamism stems militantIslam, which is a more extreme, fundamentalist practice of Islam that usescombative force to further its agenda. In the southern Philippines,the militant Islamic agenda includes using whatever means necessary to achievetheir autonomous state. The Filipino Muslims do not want to be ruled in asecular form of government, rather they are pushing for independence so as tohave their own Islamic State, where Islamic law rules them. Many have turned tothe practice of militant Islam, using violent measures in hopes of attainingtheir goal quicker. Militant Islam’s popularity is increasing at a rapid pace.
The southern Philippineshave become a site for violent terrorist actions by separatist Muslim groups,including the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Moro Islamic LiberationFront (MILF), and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The disastrous actions taken bythese groups clearly define militant Islam. All three of these groups share inthe same separatist struggle in the southern Philippines; however, they do havetheir unique attributes.
TheMNLF is an insurgent group that started out as a rebellion group that managedto bring most partisan Moro forces into its framework. The MNLF fights and conducts guerilla warfarefor an independent Moro nation. Quite a few times, the MNLF engaged in talkswith the government over attaining an autonomous region, which eventually ledto the government’s offer of a fragmented four-province Autonomous Region forMuslim Mindanao (ARMM). They did sign a peace agreement in 1996 with thePhilippine government.[8]
Theother two groups have rejected the agreement signed with the government. TheMILF is a more moderately active militant group, primarily concerned with theimplementation of a fully Islamic State.
The MILF isthe vanguard of the Islamic movement in the Bangsamoro homeland in Mindanao and the neighboring islands. It was formed in1977 as it split from the MNLF.[9]The MILF is taking advantage of the dissatisfaction expressed by many [Muslims]in the MNLF and the ARMM. They view the agreement and the autonomous regionoffered as not enough. The MILF is working through the political system,influencing local politics and winning the local elections, then movingupwards. They have continued to wage armed campaigns against the Filipinomilitary.[10]
TheAbu Sayyaf Group is by far the most violent of the separatist groups.
The leadersof the ASG allegedly fought in Afghanistanduring the Soviet war and are students and proponents of radical Islamic teachings.The group is largely self-financed through ransom and extortion; and it mostlikely also receives support from Islamic extremists in the Middle East and South Asia. Itsactivities include engaging in kidnappings for ransom, bombings, beheadings ofmissionaries, assassinations, and extortion. Over time, the ASG has geared moretowards using terror for financial profit. It is estimated to have 200-500members.[11] The group reportedly has links to the broaderAl-Qa’ida network. The group espouses violent religious intolerance and theelimination of Christian influence in Mindanao.[12]
ASGis the smallest of the separatist groups, but it is the most vicious incharacter. Their extremely violent behavior attracts other radical Islamicgroups internationally. These militant groups instill fear into the Philippinegovernment and the non-Muslim people through their activist means. The ASG andMILF show no effort to compromise with the government as they continue todeliberately terrorize people with their heinous acts. Reaching this state ofautonomy so as to implement an Islamic rule of law is of utmost necessity tothem. In the southern Philippines,rampant poverty, the lack of government services, and the actions of themilitary pushed more civilians to support the Abu Sayyaf.[13]These factors along with other characteristics specific to the Philippinesexplain the heightened attraction to the southern region.
These militant Islamic groups invitean atmosphere for harboring terrorism. The Philippines proves to be an ideallocation for attracting other terrorist organizations, namely Al-Qa’ida. The Philippines isnot the only country in Southeast Asia dealswith militant Islam; however, it is the country that terrorist networks findthe most appealing. The Philippines exhibit unique features including thephysical geography, a long history of Muslim insurgent movements, domesticgroups with domestic grievances, few law enforcement constraints, and alreadyestablished links with Al-Qa’ida. The Philippine islands are located betweenthe Philippine Sea and the South China Sea.[14]The geographical setting of the Philippinesconsists of thousands of islands located amid water on all sides. This allowsfor easy access to the islands. The borders in Southeast Asia, especially the state of the Philippines, are extremely porous.It is simply not possible to police the maritime borders of these states.[15]Terrorists can enter onto many islands without going through any sort ofimmigration or police checkpoints. They can travel around unnoticed for themost part. This gives the terrorists flexibility to proceed with their agendawithout being traced. The long history of Muslim insurgency movements datesback to the Spanish rule. For centuries, the Moro Muslims faced foreign anddomestic forces that have tried to infiltrate their region. From theseexperiences, anger arose and militant Islamic movements formed. Already havingsuch a strong history of resistance and fighting, the southern Philippinesinvites sympathetic Islamic radicals that are eager to connect with them andfight in the greater name of jihad, which refers to the central doctrine ofIslam that calls on believers to combat the enemies of their religion.[16]The domestic groups [factions of the Moro Muslims] with their domesticgrievances are now forming international alliances in pursuit of their goals.[17]These domestic grievances provide an opportunity for terrorists to prey onthem. Al-Qa’ida links up with these smaller groups on the basis of sharing intheir grievances. Al-Qa’ida has been able to exploit these local conflicts[18],using them to further their own specific agendas.
Terroristgroups are able to operate and plan attacks with little concern for their ownsecurity. The Filipinos have no computerized immigration or tax databases.Further, the intelligence services in Southeast Asiaare often overly politicized and engaged in fierce bureaucratic infighting.Even if they are not corrupt, these forces are under-equipped and confronted bywell-armed rebels. Also, the importance of tourism on economy resulted in laximmigration procedures and easy access visas.[19]
Thesefew law enforcement constraints provide the perfect circumstances forterrorists to penetrate the islands of the Philippines. Another appealing featureincludes the already established links between the region and radical terroristleaders and groups. The region has financial ties through businesses, banks,and charities with the Al-Qa’ida network.[20]
Al-Qa’idaalso has links in Southeast Asia through theirAfghanistanconnection and their radical teachings that spread throughout madrasas, Islamicschools. The Afghanistanconnection refers to training camps in Afghanistan that many militantIslamic Southeast Asians attended. Osama Bin Laden ran the camps; and they weredesigned for preparation for later Holy wars. Southeast Asians also attendedmadrasas throughout the Middle East and Asia. When they returned back to their home fronts, theywere committed to running jihads at home and recruiting followers. Thesemilitant groups return from Afghanistanand the schools ready to establish networks of madrasas as the base for theiroperations and recruitment.[21]
Theseterrorists prey on the Islamic peoples’ devotion to their religion. They turnthem into militant radicals, if they are not already, and they enhance theirfighting abilities, which gives them more reason to continue attacking. All ofthese characteristics illustrate the “convenience”[22]that the region offers in luring the terrorists. It also helps to explain therise in Islamic militancy, simply because the opportunity of conveniencepersists.
The present state of affairs in thesouthern Philippinessuggests that militant Islam will continue to increase in its magnitude. Whilethe combination of grievance and opportunity may explain the emergence ofMuslim rebel groups[23],one must take into consideration the powerful effect that Al-Qa’ida has uponthese groups. According to a Congressional Research Service Report, Al-Qa’idahas penetrated the region by establishing local cells, training SoutheastAsians in its camps in Afghanistan,and by financing and cooperating with indigenous radical Islamist groups.[24]It’s vital to note that the connection between militant Islamic groups andAl-Qa’ida is very prevalent. The ASG and Al-Qa’ida have exhibited theirpresence over the last decade. In January 2002, Philippine authoritiesapprehended an Indonesian suspected of involvement in Al-Qa’ida plots againstAmerican targets in Singapore.[25]There have been many other cases in which Al-Qa’ida has been suspected ofconnections in bombings, deadly attacks, beheadings, etc…with Abu Sayyaf, whocarries out the collaborated attacks. Most recently, the Asian Times reported,
Abomb attack on a public market in the southern city of General Santos on Sunday December 12, 2004 killed atleast 14 people and wounded 59 others. Police sources say that they are lookinginto a feud between two families with ties to separatist group MILF as apossible motive. There had been a previous attack on General Santos in 2002,where 14 people were killed in a shopping mall explosion later blamed on AbuSayyaf and MILF. The entire south has suffered from bloody terrorist attacksand mass kidnappings in recent years that have been blamed on these Muslimextremists.[26]
Thisdefinitely portrays the current presence of these militant groups. Theycontinue to wreak havoc in the Philippines,increasing in their severity and numbers. There is an intensified growth inIslamic extremism, partially due to Al-Qa’ida’s penetration into the localgroups. Because of the American War on Terror, Afghanistanlost its secure base of terrorist fronts and camps in late 2001. This promptedAl-Qa’ida to move, establishing Southeast Asiaas a “Second Front”.[27]Many scholars and analysts now refer to Southeast Asiaas the “second front” of terrorism because of the shift in operations after thefall of the Taliban. The terrorist network has expanded immensely throughout Southeast Asia; and the southern Philippinesplay a specific role in providing a central location for them to conductoperations.
I am in agreement that the southernregion of the Philippineswill be regarded as the “official” base for most terrorist networks. The regionis a breeding ground for future militant operations. Many of the people of theregion have come to embrace militant Islam in its practice. Terrorists migrateto the south because of all the conveniences that it offers, namely looserestrictions. They connect with the militant Islamic groups and form greatercommunities with more radical ideologies. It is my perspective that sincemilitant Islam remains on the rise, it will only reach higher levels ofextremism with deadlier consequences for the world. The escalating tensionsbetween the Philippine government and the militant Islamic groups are nowherenear subsiding nor coming to resolutions. I believe that militant Islam, injoining with radical Islamic terrorists in the southern Philippines,will produce a network base so large as never seen before. Al-Qa’ida has beenbrilliant in its co-option of other groups…Bin Laden tries to ‘align with localmilitant groups with country-specific grievances to increase his reach andinfluence’.[28]Al-Qa’ida has succeeded in rooting itself within these militant groups,especially Abu Sayyaf. Not only will the south become the major operational hubas stated by many analysts, but also I believe that terrorism will spreaddrastically all over the world thanks to such an available flexibility that thesouth provides. Right now the terrorism focus is on the Middle East. Most people think of the Arab region of the Middle East when they hear of terrorists. This is aclassic example of Western thinking. It is precisely this conventional thinkingthat led to the United States’ surprise attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor. They didn’t think that the Japanese wouldever do such a thing; and it is precisely this mentality that I think willsurprise many when the next major terrorist attack to hit is orchestrated by aFilipino per se. A deeper focus needs to preside over the southern Philippines. Itis my conclusion that this region presents the greatest danger in the face ofterrorism because of the factors mentioned previously. Southeast Asia has become a haven for these terrorists (due to scatteredborders and loose immigration policy). Terrorism has put on a different face,that of militant Islamic Filipinos.
The southern Philippineshold a special position in the future. I would argue that it is the southernregion that is the most valuable to Al-Qa’ida; therefore, the politicaldecisions between the government of the Philippines and the militantIslamic groups are imperative. They will set the pace for terrorist activitiesfor future generations to come worldwide. Clearly Southeast Asia has become one of its [terrorism’s] key theaters ofoperation, and we should expect continued attacks and operations in the region.[29]The Philippinesneed to take definitive measures immediately before militant Islam erupts intoan uncontrollable, firmly embedded state. Militant Islam has shown its facemany times over in the southern Philippines,is beginning to rise to fame throughout Southeast Asia,and I suspect that it will gradually be heard around the globe. The southern Philippineshave a crucial impact on the future of militant Islam’s spread and terrorismabroad.
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