Série Spéciale (2/7): Insurrection Moro aux Philippines

On continue la série spéciale sur le Front Islamique de Libération Moro. Hier, j'avais adressé quelques éléments de background. Aujourd'hui, place aux objectifs du groupe.

Précédemment: 1- Backrgound
Aujourd'hui: 2- La nature de l'insurrection
Demain: 3- La stratégie

“What we want is to achieve freedom and independence for Mindanao's Muslims”, said a MILF field commander to the BBC . The goal of the MILF is rather clear: they want to break apart from the Filipino sovereignty. “We would rather die fighting for an independent homeland than continue living under this oppressive system” , the commander known by his radio codename Congressman added.

The MILF is a secessionist group. They want to withdraw from the Filipino political community of which they officially belong but that they do not recognize. They also dislike the Filipino political system. Their ultimate goal is to create a new Islamic state for the Moros in the islands of Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago, which represents a total of 13 Philippine provinces.

Salamat Hashim, founder of the MILF, established the six following objectives :
• To make supreme the Word of Allah
• To gain the pleasure of Allah
• To strengthen the relationship of man with his Creator
• To strengthen the relationship of man and man
• To regain the illegally and immorally usurped legitimate and inalienable rights of the Bangsamoro people to freedom and self-determination
• To establish an independent state and government and implement Shari'ah (Islamic Law).

A changing goal…

Originally, the MNLF wanted to create a secular independent Muslim state. In the 1970s, Salamat Hashim and his followers created a new wing inside the MNLF much more militant and faith-oriented. When the MILF was officially created, it was more religious than the MNLF, with clerics and former mujahideens among the leadership. The new group did not only demand an independent state, they wanted it to be Islamic.

Although both groups had the same separatist goal, the MNLF backed down in 1996 and signed an agreement with the government that created an Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. There are some signs today that the MILF, which splintered from the MNLF because they refused the agreement, could agree on a new similar peace agreement providing more autonomy and self-government but no secession of Mindanao.