http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/07/world/asia/philippines-peace-deal/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Finally, after 15 grueling years full of blood shed, the Muslim rebels in the Philippines have struck a peace deal with the government. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has fought for decades for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines, the bloody ordeal resulted in thousands of peoples' demise. President Benigno Aquino III illustrates the peace deal for the new autonomous state as a sort of framework that will help establish muslim admission in their own government. The new state will be initiated through the name of Bangsamoro; marking the end of a time of turmoil and the beginning of peace.
This is a fine example of a "bitter-sweet" ending; the pure sorrow that the people of Philippines have faced over the years have touched everyone there, no matter if they were muslim or not. This solution was long awaited for and was fought for brutally. The determination of the muslims pushed them through the years, and the hard-won fruits of their labor are finally ready to harvest. It is truly amazing how the commitment to ones individual religion can fuel events such as these. But I can't help but think that stereotypes and racial profiling are also a great contribution to these events. People can be pushed to desperate measures if they feel unaccepted in their own country. If we were all to become more understanding of ones culture...would we have been able to stop this?
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I think it is great that after many years of protest against the Philippine government and 15 years of negotiation, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has finally achieved the self-governing autonomous region for which they have been fighting. According to the Guardian's article "Philippines and Muslim rebels agree landmark peace deal”, after 40 years of a battle for independence, more than two million people have been negatively affected in some way, whether they were displaced from their homes or killed. So much sacrifice has taken place to achieve this freedom, and even as the death toll rose and rose, the Muslim rebels did not stop. They were determined to gain the independence that they rightfully deserved. In my opinion, this event was driven by religion, but more specifically by ethnocentrism caused by dissimilar practices associated with the differences in their religions. This ties into what were are learning about in class, how people have the tendency to judge others based on their own practices and culture, what they define as “normal”. To answer your question, I think that if we had all become understanding of each other’s cultures, this conflict may not had happened, similar to other issues that are currently happening around the world. More understanding would mean less judging and therefore more acceptance. However, if we did find a way to accept everyone’s cultures, would that mean we would have to accept unequal treatment or even abuse of woman? Would we have to accept the use of child soldiers? Where would the line be drawn separating just a difference in culture and something that is morally wrong?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/07/philippines-muslim-rebels-peace-deal?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
(provides more detail on this event)