Written by Marites Vitug & Glenda Gloria

de Leon| Matalam| Natanauan| Ybiernas

Operation Merdeka
merdeka: Malay term for independence codename for destabilization of Sabah August to December 1967:
200 Tausug and Sama Muslims aged 18 to 30 from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and their training in the islandtown of Simunul in Tawi-Tawi commando unit: Jabidah

December 30, 1967: Corregidor specialized training

Jabidah Massacre

Jabidah Massacre
young Moro recruits were taken in batches of twelve to a remote airstrip where they were executed with machine guns by their military handlers.

Sole survivor: Jibin Arula

Qaddafi and the MNLF

Muammar Qaddafi: financial and political patron
One day in 1971, Col. Muammar Qaddafi heard on BBC Radio that Filipino Muslims had been killed by Christian vigilantes inside a mosque in the town of Manili, Cotabato Ummah: community of the faithful

Nurallaj Misuari
UP-educated
Founded Bagong Asya, a student organization

Mindanao Independence Movement

Moro National Liberation Front

Islam, socialism and MarxismLeninism Lost his bid as a representative to the constitutional convention in 1971

Under Marcos
1972: Martial Law
Marcos cited the secessionist problem as a factor

Muslim Rebellion
December 1972
Barrio Tran, Lebak, Cotobato first logical base in Mindanao

Marcos Gameplan
divide-and-rule tactic in Muslim Mindanao
Marcos options:
1. All-out military war against the MNLF at the same time, an alliance with the tradutional Muslim families and politicians 2. A united front between the government and the MNLF 3. Negotitations
Organization of the Islamic Conference

The Role of the OIC

Without the OIC, the MNLF struggle would not have been as meaningful 1974: Fifth Islamic Conference in Kuala Lumpur Resolution 18: meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia within the framework of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines MNLFs bid for autonomy, instead of decolonization

The Consequences
Oil Politics: Iran and Saudi Arabia
brief boycott of oil exports to the Philippines
slowed down militarys air operations oil crisis

Malaysia
1974: blocked a major arms shipment to Western Mindanao from Sabah after the OIC ruling

Libya

Marcos Solutions
For as long as the demands do not constitute an impairment of Philippine sovereignty and a sacrifice of the Philippine territory.

January 1975: first team to the Middle East

Economic and political ties with Middle Eastern countries Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Algeria MNLF was not acting on its own but under the influence of its major supporters from the OIC
Executive Secretary Melchor and his 9-man team: threatened by OIC secretary-general Tohamy to be held hostage

Imeldas Role

November 1976: trade and cultural agreement

real agenda: ask Qaddafi to convince the MNLF to sign a peace pact with the govenment

The Tripoli Dilemma

Tripoli Agreement
Paragraph 15
provisional agreement to establish the groundwork for the future establishment of a regional government in 13 provinces (Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Palawan and all the cities and villages situated in the above mentioned areas)

The Solution: Paragraph 16 The Philippine government shall undertake all the necessary constitutional processes to implement the entire agreement.
Marcos held a referendum, creating autonomous regions 9 and 11, with the MNLF boycotting plebiscite Marcos continued to bomb Muslim provinces
It legitimized Misuaris leadership before the Islamic world and served as the umbilical cord that tied the OIC to him

Under Marcos
1978 Batasang Pambansa Elections
MNLF and New Peoples Army
anti-communist opposition leaders Norberto Gonzales (Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas)
1979: met with Misuari in Jeddah : met again in Tripoli agreed that the MNLF would help arm the ipposition to defend itself against the military the enemy of my enemy is my friend Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile exposed the PDSPs option for armed struggle -Gonzales stayed in Sabah with the MNLF and was later on exiled in Europe

Corys Turn

Ninoy and the MNLF: Ninoy laid down his plans to Misuari if he were elected president Cory: the MNLF supported Corys candidacy against Marcos in the 1986 Snap Election

Cory, The President

September 6, 1986
Misuari returned to Maimbung Sulu to meet with Pres. Aquino
But while Mrs. Aquino had the will to pursue peace with the secessionist rebels, she simply had no time to focus on a tedious process

1987
Jeddah accord
for the grant of full autonomy to Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and TawiTawi MNLF wanted to amend provisions on autonomy on the 1987 constitution

October 1987: Peace Commission August 1, 1989 ARMM: formed under Corys rule

1991
OIC acknowledged the measures taken by the Philippins in resolving the Mindanao conflict

Ramos Takeover
pledged that once he won, he would sit with the MNLF in order to implement the 1976 Tripoli Agreement signed by the Marcos government and the rebel organization Ramos should be congratulated for coopting Misuari, wiping out the MNLF army without a gunshot and sealing our future.