The Moro Raids: Fight for Independence

Photo from: gmanetwork.com
     Are we all familiar with the natives in the southern part of the Philippines? The lumads in Mindanao that had been living on the islands even before the colonization of the Spaniards? The Moros were bounded by religion, which is Sunni Islam. It is their Islamic faith that makes them distinct among the majority of the Filipinos. As a Filipino, are we aware of the continuing dispute in Mindanao? The situations where the other parts in Mindanao wanted to be autonomous from the Philippines? The Moro people don't want to live in a system that doesn't support their culture and faiths. They were ardent on keeping their culture and beliefs by persisting on their grounds. The Moro people struggle for their sovereignty long before the Marcos administration and have refrained from being under national control. 

     After Christianizing the other natives and colonizing other parts of the Philippines, the Spanish invaders then proceed to the lands of the Moro people to make their presence felt and suppress Islam. They fought for more than 300 years in misery, and this religious war resulted in the indifferences between the Filipinos and the Moro people. The success of the Spanish people in colonizing the North resulted in the estrangement between the two. "The Spaniards carried to the Philippines a fanatical hatred of Moros” (Growing, P., n.d.).  After the fight against the Spaniards, they restored but halted defenseless when the US came into the scene. The Moros noticed that the Americans were way more advanced than the Spanish intruders. They got robbed of rights to their lands since the US government systematized land ownership. This resulted in the incorporation of their territories to the Philippine colonies. During the American rule, they voiced out their desire for Independence but disregarded.  The Americans also stopped the slave tradings, which provoked rebellion. "Without slavery, the Moros cannot live for it was the base of their wealth and happiness." With the help of the slaves, they were able to hold such power and wealth (Loyre 1985). 
     Moro incursions are still evident up today as they go on fighting for their sovereignty from the Philippine nation despite the absence of foreign invaders. Their resistance is directed to the government as they want to live up with their own rules. Different groups have continued their traditions and advocacy for their Independence, but the Filipinos only see them as terrorists as their activities appeared unjust. The continuity of their tradition gives a sense of responsibility and respect to their ancestors who struggled for their virtues; however, their actions were scowled by the Filipino people and attained a bad reputation just for what they see as their righteous cause. Some of these groups were MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) and Abu Sayyaf. They resort to brutal acts to be noticed by the government.

     Since it has been continuous up today, most Filipinos discriminate against the Moros, which also affects some of the Muslims in other parts of Mindanao. Filipinos tend to generalize Muslims that they are capable of initiating attacks and terrorism. We might praise their bravery on the time of the Spanish epoch, but in this modern-day, the Filipinos see it as barbaric violence and activism.  Fortunately, the Bangsamoro Law has been ratified as a law for peace negotiations. It resolved the grievances, sentiments, and demands of the Muslim people in Mindanao. The Bangsamoro Law is the advocacy of the Muslim ever since the Marcos Regime. Now that it is already a law, it acknowledges their ambition of self-identity and addresses the discrimination and injustices they underwent. It also erases any suspicions against them from the past failed peace attempts.


References:

Bersales, J. (2013). Moro Raiding, Then and Now. Retrieved October 12, 2019, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/499871/moro-raiding-then-and-now

Kamlian, J. (2012). Who are the Moro People? Retrieved October 12, 2019, from https://opinion.inquirer.net/39098/who-are-the-moro-people

Non, D. M. (1993). Moro Piracy during the Spanish period and its impact. Southeast Asian Studies, 30(4), 401–419. Retrieved from https://kyoto-seas.org/pdf/30/4/300403.pdf

n.a. (n.d.). The Moro to the Spanish Colonizers. Retrieved October 12, 2019, from https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/articles/the-moro-to-the-spanish-colonizers/

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