I got a call from my mom on Monday, August 18 early in the morning. "Was attacked Kolambogan!" and finally my mom woke me up. The last days across the nation have seen how the forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front attacked the city of Cotabato, and there was no news of possible attacks in other parts of Mindanao especially Lanao. These attacks are related to the Muslim group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who wants to control and recover Mindanao from the Philippine Government.
Islam and Christianity
The Philippines has been referred to as the first nation Christian in Asia; brought by the Spaniards who colonized the country for more than 300 years. For hundreds of years, Spanish influences were adopted by Filipino natives in their own culture of food to the language. Each student in the Philippines say that Catholicism is the best gift that gave the Spanish colonizers.
However, not all Filipinos are Catholic or Christian, the majority of non-Christian Filipinos are Muslims. And the majority of Filipino Muslims live in Mindanao. Islam was introduced to the country much before that Ferdinand Magellan set foot on the Islands, and the early Filipinos were Muslims. It is the reason for the majority of Muslims in Mindanao is that the Spaniards were not able to colonize the area.
Mindanao, unlike other places in the Philippines is a big part of the mass of the Earth; While most of the Philippines Islands. It was therefore very difficult for settlers to have total control of Mindanao which he left to Muslims only. For years, Muslims live and controlled the entire Mindanao area, it is not until the beginning of the 1950s.
The coming of Christians
After the second world war; When the rest of the country was in crisis and devastation, Mindanao was opened to Christians to migrate. Referred as the "land of promise", Mindanao was the perfect place to start their lives all over again. The provinces of Bohol, Capiz Ilocos Christians for example received and hopes to improve themselves.
Christians began to buy land of Muslims who sold their properties at a very small price. It is not a surprise to see many Christian families, taking a large piece of land where planted crops such as rice and coconut. But peace does not lie, shortly after that Christians and Muslims fought each other.
Conflict in Mindanao
Muslims are worried about the fact that Christians became wealthy, but his own people became poor or poor. Christians began to control agriculture and other industries s as well as the policy of Mindanao, Muslims are now aware of the inequality between them and Christians.
Conflict began with land grabbing between camps, theft of crops and many others. Cases of Muslim raids each houses of money and again emerged from cruelty. Soon, civil Christians formed groups to deal with Muslims the most notorious group, "Ilaga" meaning "Rat". This and other anti-Muslim underground groups in the Philippines undertake to stop the Muslim Mindanao cruelties with some cleaning resorted to ethnic. This is one of the reasons why some Mindanao provinces are "Christianised" while others are Muslim. Take as an example, Lanao is divided into North and South (South); most of the residents of Lanao del Norte are Christians, while the South are Muslims.
Muslim sentiment
It is unfair to Muslims to be blamed for all the terrorism in Mindanao. They themselves are victims, and most of them tries to live a harmonious live with Christians. Muslims who want to avoid the conflict in Mindanao even moved to other parts in the Philippines such as Cebu and Manila and entered the trade to support their families. Always surface would be news of meeting Christian and Muslims, Muslims would feel anxious that will be to blame. Muslim civilians even help Christians by telling some news of future attacks by Muslim rebels.
Valerie is a freelance article writer. More Valerie articles in your site, please visit http://www.valcaulin.com