In a brazen attempt, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is arming civilians in a bid to enable the local communities to protect themselves from the attacks of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other factions.
Thirteen thousand shotguns and more militiamen in Mindanao.
In the 1970's, government unleashed the military-backed vigilantes, Ilaga, to help combat the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
The Ilaga was organized by politicians, all from Iloilo, in 1969 to fight off so-called "Blackshirts" of the Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM) set up by Cotabato Empire Province Governor Datu Udtog Matalam.
The real motive behind the organization of the Ilaga was to grab all the lands occupied by the Moros. Hence "Ilaga" became an acronym for Ilonggo Land grabbing Association.
While the Ilaga is a Christian vigilante group, another separate vigilante group, which is Barakuda was also set up against the Moro people.
Both the Ilagas and the Barakuda were responsible for the massacres of tens of thousands of Moros in Mindanao.
Today, some government officials would want to take the militarist approach in ending the conflict in Mindanao.
It is the same approach, which proved to have spurred communal violence, a ploy that will fuel a never-ending conflict among the locals in Mindanao while high- ranking officials in Manila watch.
There is still no confirmation if indeed that Ilaga will just become a mere conglomeration of Civilian Army Geographical Forces (Cafgus), Civilian Volunteers Organizations (CVOs), and "private armies" of North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Pinol as alleged by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Different chords are taken by both government and rebel groups which vows to pursue peace and development in Mindanao and yet, are engineers of its conflict.
The Mindanao People's Caucus (MPC) said arming the civilians is like pouring more gasoline to a blazing house, fueling more animosity between Christians and Muslims. "This move is highly divisive and deceptive and could only fan Christian-Muslim conflict."
Arming the civilians is not an answer to the conflict in Mindanao. Ending the hostilities cannot be reached by dividing the people in their own homeland so that foreign entities and some politicians could maneuver things to their own advantage.
Building peace is all about correcting the historical injustice against the Moro people and the lumads. It is about dialogue between and among all stakeholders. It is also about respecting the right of Mindanawons not just to be able to live, but to live life in a humane manner.
