“War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families. — Martin Luther

Insurgency in the Philippines, whether it be Muslim separatism, or plain brigandage, or Marxist-inspired armed struggle, will never be successfully stamped out so long as the military solution takes precedence over social equity, productivity, impartial justice, and education.

While Muslim and communist insurgencies are two distinct conflicts, their common denominators lies rooted in poverty and social injustice which feed upon themselves in perpetuity because there is no unity of purpose, policy consistency, and imaginative approaches.

While the Republic itself cannot be overthrown by these insurgencies, its stability and the peace of mind, and happiness of the Filipino people are constantly being shaken and undermined while absolute victory in the field can never be achieved as long as poverty stalks the land which latter is the grist that feeds the beast.

First, our Muslim brothers, while Malay in features, Filipino in nationality, and natural citizens of the Republic, are culturally and in religion more influenced by Middle Eastern culture and intellectual upbringing, and education.

For these reasons, homogeneity of nationhood has not been accomplished while being exacerbated by the slow trickling down of economic development, equitable distribution of justice, obedience to authority, and outlook.

Hence, killing all the Abu Sayyaf, for example, will not eradicate them but will only encourage further resistance and anguish.

Neither will military confrontation with the MILF or MNLF lead to victory if the objectives are diametrically opposed but which can be mitigated by massive social and economic investments in Mindanao.

An unorthodox solution that may initially be misconstrued is to encourage massive migration into areas of conflict by determined, courageous and intrepid pioneers from Luzon and Visayas into the heartlands of Mindanao.

It has been done before, and it has been successful in the so-called New World of the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere.

Second, while Marxist-Leninism and Maoism have declined dramatically with the implosion of the Soviet empire in early 1990’s, communist-style insurgencies still exist in many parts of the developing world where the gap between the rich and the poor are widening, while population growth remains exponential, and total land hectarage is shrinking in favor of non-agricultural activities.

Again, while there is no danger of Soviet or Chinese Communist local insurgents, or NPAs, of achieving national dominance or threat to the central authority, NPA insurgency, albeit fragmented and in disarray, remains a nuisance and distracting to government efforts in bringing economic
development to the grassroots to eliminate poverty which is the weapon of resistance.

When all is said and done, there is no substitute to honest economic development and less politics.

Muslim and NPA insurgencies are serious but not life-threatening to the independence of the nation, but a thorn on the side that deprives the Filipino people of their peace of mind and prosperity.

You be the judge. (For comments and views, please e-mail: chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)