We pray for peace in Mindanao

We are jolted to our senses once again upon hearing the news about the series of bombings that ushered in the week. Four in a row, and more expected to transpire. Meanwhile, investigators have not identified the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. They continue to plot and plan to wreak more havoc with an unknown legitimate purpose except to sow terror and strife. If we look back at least a year from today, we cringe at the thought of the kind of terror and brutality perpetrated by these terrorists, from the heinous beheading and mutilation of fourteen Marine soldiers last year, the burning of houses and killing of civilians, the kidnapping and hostage of numerous businessmen and civilians, media people, public school teachers, international volunteer workers and many others for whose release a huge sum of ransom was paid. My heart goes out to Eugenio Vagni, sick and still languishing under captivity by the Abu Sayyaf. I do hope he is freed soon. And now, the simultaneous bombings in Cotabato, Jolo, Iligan and Lanao del Norte, which killed at least six people and wounded 51 others.

The perennial conflict in Mindanao is considered as the second oldest conflict in world history. There is continued absence of peace in Mindanao because of the warring forces and armed conflict that necessitate the continued presence of military forces there. The struggle of the Moro people started way back in the 16th century when Spain invaded the archipelago, where the dominant rulers then were the Muslim rajahs. It did not help that the Spaniards already had a deep repugnance to Muslims whom they called Moros, conquerors and rulers of Spain for 700 years from the 8th to the 15th century. Throughout the years of foreign rule, only the Muslim rule in Manila and surrounding cities was vanquished, but Muslim existence continued in the Mindanao regions. 

 The Muslim religion is one of the most peaceful religions I have known and I cannot imagine how “peace-loving” people have come to be associated with Muslim terrorists. The atrocities committed and still being done by the Muslim groups here in our country are very much uncharacteristic of the religious tenets in the Holy Qu’ran on peace which permits war only for defense and to keep or establish peace . . . ”taking care that no woman is killed, no children be killed, the old not be impeded, no person to be set on fire, no tree to be cut down, no person’s nose or ear cut off . . . “. Now the terrorists kill innocent people and sow terror and violence frivolously like it was just an ordinary thing or a job to be carried out. The perpetrators set bombs to explode in front of Catholic Churches, either to feign a religious cause or mock the Catholic religion. A report said new terrorist graduates planted and exploded the bombs to test their new skills. God forbid this inhuman way of testing skills at the expense of human lives!

Why a peace-loving people would want to destroy peace is beyond me. Wars only aggravate the problem. The cost of these long-standing conflicts had gone up to billions of pesos and the number of casualties is in the thousands. There is nothing else that has been accomplished but more hostilities and strife. What does it take to have peace? Only peace can bring about progress. Peace can only be attained if all sectors of society will strive to promote justice and equality for both the Christians and Muslims in Mindanao.