February 13, 2006 · Posted in: Edsa Special, Podcasts
Edsa 20/20: Nur Misuari
‘WITHOUT justice, there can never be an end to the war in Mindanao’
The founder of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was in exile in Libya when Marcos fell. He returned to Mindanao in 1986, confident that the wrongs of history would finally be righted. Misuari talked peace with the new regime and eventually signed a peace agreement with the Ramos government in 1996. He was elected governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao the same year. In 2001, as his term was about to end, he declared war against the government and his men engaged the military in battle. He was arrested and has spent the last four years in detention in Laguna.
In this podcast, Sheila Coronel talks to Misuari.
Length: 00:31:14
File size: 21.4 MB
7 Responses to Edsa 20/20: Nur Misuari
naykika
February 13th, 2006 at 5:15 pm
After listening to the interview my first impression was here is a leader who would have finally had a change to bring resolutions to the political and economic turmoil of the southern Philippines; the Mindanao. but the unyielding demand of the moros for their own Independent homeland and the inability of the Manila government to meet them halfway and improve the lot of our muslim people have contributed to its failure. Nobody can pretend that this problem will just go away. It has to be dealt squarely and sincerely by both parties. But until we have a credible and stable Government and sincere leaderships on the MNLF side that are worthy to put their signatures on the paper any treaty would just meet the fate of all before. Our Muslim Bothers and Sisters are Pilipinos just like the rest, but their cultures and religion and customs are their own. That we should always take into consideration. I know Nur Misuari may no longer play a prominent role in future negotiations, but his vast knowledge of his people and the history of the land will be very valuable for a lasting and fair and humane agreement. may peace will reign in the Land…
KenshiNZ
February 14th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
It was great listinening to the Man. ONe point he made that I liked was about war “War is a scourgh to Humanity.. It will throw back society way.. way way back”.( I think I read/heard that before somewhere )I guess he was speaking from his experiences fighting Marcos as MNLF leader. A kind of regretfull tone if you observe as he admitted starting the war in Mindanao. I Agree he should be involved in efforts to solve the problems in Mindanao. His experience and wisdom will be valuable… Ha? Sinangla lang ba ang Sabah? pwede pa ba tubusin yun?
Needless
February 15th, 2006 at 7:22 am
I personally do not think that he can contribute anything good for Mindanao. As I recall, he still needs to account for the missing Mindanao railway project budget given to him during his uncredited stay. He does not have total control over the MNLF before (much more even now) as they are divided into splinter groups per town. Each group may have their own criminal activities to support their “cause”. Extortion, kidnapping and the protection of marijuana fields are their daily means to cover for their member’s financial expenses. Most of our poverty cases are found in Mindanao and it has been like that for generations.
jonas
February 15th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
He’s a trapo masquerading as a warrior.
luzviminda
February 16th, 2006 at 8:02 am
Nur Misuari was given 4 billion finds for ARMM. Pero kinurakot lang nya at hindi napakinabangan ng mga taong nasasakop ng ARMM na dapat ay makinabang. Ang balita pa ay ginamit nya ang pera sa kanyang pansariling layunin at binili nya ng mga armas for his private army. I believe that he is also a traitor to his muslim brothers who has not kept his promised progress for ARMM area.
Cromwell6
February 16th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
There’s much of worry from outside of what we perceive an internal thing that none from the outside should interfere, the problem in Mindanao never started with Misuari. But he was among the youth member of the Moro Youth Movement who received foreign training among 90 0thers to comprise ‘the army’ of the Muslims.
It certainly is not an internal affair for the country to solely handle but should have been the U.N. overseers of the so immaculate World Order, who could have done something.
The Philippines tried to invade the State of Sabah organizing and secretly training recruits from Sulu much like Osama bin Laden recruiting his suicide squads in the present-day scenario, an all Muslim contingent to create havoc in Sabah prelude to a secret invasion plan by the country during the 60’s annex the Sabah State of Malaysia by covert military means.
It faltered when finally the Muslim recruits from Sulu who were training in the Corregidor Island were senselessly massacred. This was the infamous Jabidah massacre.
Congress made the accidental discovery after survivors swam across shark infested waters off Corregidor to the Cavite province who at the time was an opposition bulwark triggering an uproar over the incident, in fact an attempt to impeach then Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines was made but did not progress quite well enough.
Sabah was ceded to the Royalties of Mindanao and Sulu by the Sultan of Brunei as a token; it does not belong to the Philippines unless it declares itself part of the royalty of Mindanao & Sulu.
The rebellion in Mindanao & Sulu is an offshoot of that sinister act of treachery by our government to an unsuspecting neighbor Malaysia.
By the way, it nearly triggered a shooting war with our neighbor Malaysia, so I think we should stop blaming personalities or the Muslims, it was an affair of government such that the countervailing predisposition was a counteracting war, is this something difficult to understand?
Gurong Bayan
February 17th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
Nur Misuari simply lose it. And lost everything. The politics of personality in ARMM is far more difficult for him than the politics of war. I simply cant believe his claim that there is no money in ARMM when he took over.