What is it with mindanao, that turns people into armed rebels/bandits?

Question

Heard so many experts yanking on poverty as the culprit,.but indigence is a national phenomena! The poor people of Luzon and mindanao experience the same impoverishment as the people from the south, but I never heard anyone from the two former islands clamoring for independence and claiming ancestral domain, and forming armed groups killing helpless civilians.

Answer 1

Lack of education and no hope for the future.

Answer 2

The biggest problem is the muslims which want to be separate.  Also perhaps it helps that Manila being the capital is so far away.  Being a nation of many islands also does not help.

Answer 3

number 1 is culture clash. we have lumads, muslims and christians all wanted to rule the land.

second: oppression from the corrupt leaders taking advantage of the uneducated poors.

Answer 4

the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in Luzon also longs for independence and claim for ancestral domain, not only CAR but all the other indigenous people of the Philippines.

you might think, there is no turmoil going on in some parts of our country, there is. not only in Mindanao do the people take arms against the government but all over the Philippines except for NCR. the New People's Army (NPA) are fighting for the cause of all indigenous people's right for their land and life. it is being worked upon as one through the National Democratic Front and the NPA.

the aetas clamor for land, for their right to till and own the land that was taken away from them by the government through CARP  and other land reforms. the Igorots of the Cordillera cries for their lands that have been transformed into tourists spots by the government. same thing with the Mangyans,Ibanags,Yogads,etc.

the people of Mindanao (not all) is not an isolated case. if we try to be more observant with what is happening around us,we would realize that the Mindanao case is not different from the qualms of all Filipino people.

Answer 5

Combination of Religious and Political differences. Simple as that.  

Answer 6

Oppression. Mindanao has long been economically, politically, and culturally marginalized. The migration of people from other parts of the country to Mindanao particularly in the latter half of the last century has driven away indigenous peoples and Moros from lands that are rightfully theirs.

Answer 7

cultural difference. the big muslim community in mindanao wants autonomy, recognition, independence. they want to do their own thing.

Answer 8

Here is what I think of. I don't believe these rebel groups are uneducated because it takes a lot of mind to organize as big a group like the MILF. It has nothing to do with poverty at all, thats what I see But it boils down to centuries of oppresion as what is felt by our muslim brothers. Im no muslim, but it does take a lot of inner thought why this is happening to Mindanao. Comming from Cagayan de Oro I must say there is less tension here between muslims and Christians as compared to other parts of Mindanao because everyone feels secure. Muslims who are fighting for what they call their ancestral domain feels insecure with our current government. They might feel that the government is not giving them the best they can get, maybe they think it has to do with them being muslims. Sadly some muslims always feel oppressed and that their right, which includes their right of religion is taken for granted. That is why they are in that constant fight. It is rooted in historical conflict, taking into consideration the the years of Crusade where lots of Muslim died because of their faith. It doesnt happen only here, but all we can do right now is try our best to settle our differences and see beyond religion and personal right.

Mykee :)

Answer 9

I think it all stemmed from years of neglect and deprivation.  Past administrations have not been paying attention to Mindanao, leaving its people and region almost in the backwater of progress concentrating mass development and infrastructure in key cities and provinces mostly in Luzon.  It has a low share in the national budget.  I guess the people, specially the Muslims, felt they are all on their own with no progress in sight, for themselves and for the region.  And maybe the Muslims thought of bringing the attention to their plight hence, the fight to be heard although not the proper and legal way of doing it.

Anything can be achieved peacefully if both parties (Muslims and government) are sincere in their efforts.