Jibin Arula, the only lone survivor of the Jabidah Massacre in 1968, believed that he was on a mission. One that would serve his people and his country. They were told that their main goal was to reclaim Sabah as part of the Philippines. Little did they know, they were heading towards a trap. He was lucky he survived, but that didn’t make him feel any better.
It is timely to remember this historic event as the month of March comes to a close. There was a narrative to follow; they wanted to make it look like the Jabidahs were starting the chaos so that the Philippine government could interfere. It was a plot bound to fail but because of the hope instilled in them for a better life, they had to take the risk.
Yet they received nothing. It was a reflection of an empty promise, a false hope that was the fuel to the already-ongoing rage deep inside. The rest is history for the 150 ‘Bangsa Muslim’ who were gunned down by state forces a day after they complained about their situation. Jibin ran for his life like the strike of a matchstick to its box, fast and rough until a flame sparks.
Eventually, that flame materialized into rage as the family members and the immediate community of the Bangsa Muslim expressed their dismay. They were terribly hurt and outright mad at what happened. The killing of their kin with no remorse turned into an outrageous response with the cause of bringing them justice. This started the decades-long tirade between the government and those in Muslim Mindanao.
The minorities are not to blame for the conflict that is happening in our country. The root cause is as deep as their call for justice. It took more than a hundred lives for an awakening of this group to look at the government as an entity that does not look after their people’s welfare. The administration at the time only thought of their own agenda and pride. This holds true until today. It is like a disease, a cancerous tumor that we cannot get rid of.
Greed never gets a nation to its prime. Instead, it only breaks them into factions as they strive to survive in this already-cruel world. Others judge them wrongly for the stereotype that the media has portrayed about the Muslims in the south. If only they will understand that these stories are true and nothing to be made fun of. They are also struggling for a better life, the life that the government promised decades ago.
At the present time, the flame is not yet out. Jibin’s story will remind us of how we were under such a tyranny that bloodshed gave the leader no remorse. As humans, we should know how to condole with our fellowmen regardless of belief.
This massacre will not just be a date to remember but a day when rage continues as justice is still being sought.