Comments on: Will I still live in the Philippines?

By: Bob Martin » Blog Archive » Is Mindanao ablaze?

Bob Martin » Blog Archive » Is Mindanao ablaze? — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:11:15 +0000

[...] a couple of weeks ago I posted a column about the agreement between the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and the Government of th…? Well, a lot has happened since then. It all started last week when a “mini-war” [...]

By: Moroland på Mindanao? - Asiaforum.no

Moroland på Mindanao? - Asiaforum.no — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:23:40 +0000

[...] halvparten av Mindanao kan bli islamsk. Her er hva en amerikaner som lever i Davao mener om saken: Bob Martin Blog Archive Will I still live in the Philippines? Ikke akkurat hva Arroya tidligere sa "the only peace they will have is in their [...]

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:11:41 +0000

Hi Neil – Not saying at all that anything was illegal about the Christian settlers moving into Mindanao. All I am saying is that such mass migrations tend to lead to trouble over time.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:08:45 +0000

Hi chas – Yes, I understood your point there.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:07:58 +0000

Hi Phil R. – I certainly can’t argue with that! You are a wise man, Phil!

No problem on the seminar!

By: Neil

Neil — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:55:02 +0000

Hi Bob
The Christian Filipinos who moved into these (former only Muslim areas) areas did so when it was a part of the Philippines, so it was legal to do so. Indonesia is doing the same moving Javanese ethnic Muslims to Papa New Guinea so they can be the majority in that country. The natives are a totally different ethnic group and usually Christian. I dont think Thailand is going to go this same route in their 3 southern provinces which they took over a 100 years ago. Zamboanga city has been a Christian city for centuries. Sabah was a part of the Sultun of Sulu territory, but the people there are not clamoring for independence. Maybe because Malaysia is a wealthier country or amajority Muslim country. If you are right that MILF believes that the Christians took their land, then they may want more territory and this is just one way to get closer to that goal, if they had the power to do so.

By: chas

chas — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:48:53 +0000

Hi Bob,Yes, i agree Mindanao as a whole could survive easily economically,but i meant that the ARRM as a independant region could not survive economically,regards Chas.

By: Phil R.

Phil R. — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:45:24 +0000

PS Bob sorry to say i can’t make the seminar Saturday the 9th.

By: Phil R.

Phil R. — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:39:19 +0000

Hi Bob…You never know what is going to happen until it is all over ,then we pray it was a good decision…

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:53:57 +0000

Hi chas – Thanks for sharing your view of things. In many ways I agree, although in other ways I disagree. For example, let’s say that the Island of Mindanao were to become independent from the Philippines. I believe that Mindanao could survive, perhaps even prosper under such a scenario. After all, Mindanao is a land rich in resources, many of which are taken for the benefit of other parts of the Philippines.