Muslim Sariah Unity Statement June 12, 2000 MUSLIM SARIAH THE Estrada administration’s policy of an "all-out-war" has long been beyond his mere macho stints. It was not only expressed in verbal threats, as it was in Mindanao where he paraded with "gusto" in a soldier’s war uniform. The almost three month-old government military offensive in Mindanao is a more decisive expression of the policy. An all-out war policy is a short but jolting translation of the inability and mere insincerity of the government to resolve the root causes of economic, political and social conflict in the entire Philippine society that is now focused in Mindanao. Setting a deadline and insisting on the framework of the Philippine Constitution in peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other rebel groups simply means that the government's’ main strategy is blood shed by annihilating the rebels. This all-out war policy is both a military offensive and a psy-war campaign that is intended to spark an anti-muslim sentiments. The calculated use by the government of the extremist tactics of Abu Sayyaf and link this with the MILF has justified the military tactics of employing vigilantes and expanding the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGU) as para-military troops. The war over the "control of the 180 kilometers of the Narciso Ramos highway" in Central Mindanao, as the military would like to call it, has so far resulted to hundreds of dead and thousands of wounded soldiers on the military and MILF camps. This has so far attained the deepening of the scars of war. The civilian evacuees have reached a reported number of more than 350,000 already besting other countries experiences. To them the effects of the military offensive could be permanent as their houses and livelihood were destroyed by the bombings. Some areas where they live may even remain in military control thus, prevent them from returning even after the actual fighting. Also, the safety of the Abu Sayyaf hostages remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the government is spending a minimum of PhP50 million a day for military expenses but mere PhP2 million per week as government share in supporting the evacuees. The urgent request for higher military allocation that is now 30% of the national budget is fast draining the limited resources of government. Higher war cost always means lesser funds for public services and welfare of government employees. The worse part is the truth that the Estrada administration is resurrecting the Marcosian menu in addressing the Mindanao crisis. Estrada’s war in Mindanao is also trying to cover his other Marcosian style of corruption and cronyism; and wanton subservience to foreign interests. Such have failed miserably in the past because the conflict in Mindanao is a crisis resulting from the crisis of governance due to the gross failure and incompetence to address the basic economic, political and social inequalities between the rich and the poor. The struggle of the Moro and other peoples for their right to self-determination is recognized and supported internationally. It is a cause that continues to unite and drive them to pursue in various means that are available. In this framework, we convene the MUSLIM SARIAH, an association of Muslim government employees; we unite with our Moro and Christian brothers and sisters in working for freedom, justice and peace in Mindanao. Our specific calls are: Stop the all-out war policy in Mindanao and exert efforts to rebuild confidence to immediately resume the peace talks between the GRP and the MILF; Support in the relief and rehabilitation of victims in the Mindanao atrocities; indemnification for war victims; and the investigation of human rights violations committed by the military and the para-military groups; Re-channel the government's military budget to improve the public services and the welfare of government employees; and Recognize and support the struggle for the Moro People’s Right to Self-Determination. # Note: SARIAH is an Arabic word for March. MUSLIM SARIAH means Muslim march to freedom, justice and peace. Muslim State Workers Call for Understanding & End to All-out War |
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