The Mindanao Peace Process Mediating Peace betwe：棉兰老岛的和平进程和平与调解.doc

The Mindanao Peace Process: Mediating Peace between the Philippine Government and the Moro Fronts By Fr. Eliseo R. Mercado, OMI Notre Dame University – Philippines Fulbright NCS 2003 – Georgetown University – Washington DC The Mindanao Peace Process is not a new invention of our era. In fact, the present realities in Mindanao are fruits of various peace processes with differing foci and emphases depending on the mood and temper of the Manila based central government. Historically, the establishments of Fort del Pilar in Zamboanga City, the naval station at Polloc in the present province of Maguindanao, the “intramuros” in the town of Jolo and the military stations along the Rio Grande de Mindanao from Taviran to Reina Regente were few examples of containment programs to build peace in the southern Philippines. The so-called Moro problem haunted the Spanish government in Manila for more than three centuries and half. The northern Mindanao and some parts of western Mindanao were successfully brought to the mainstream politics by way of settlements beginning the second half of the 19th century. But in southern Mindanao, including the islands of Sulu, Tawi Tawi, and Basilan, the Spanish presence was limited to military stations and garrisons, except for pockets of civilian settlements in the present city of Zamboanga and Cotabato City. Largely, the Moro populace was left on their own. They lived under their sultans and datus and were governed according to their laws and traditions. The Spanish government interfered in the Moro affairs by way playing politics in several succession issues in the Sultanate of Sulu and in the two dominant sultanates in the mainland Mindanao (Buayan and Maguindanao). However, the Moro people always rejected Spanish anointment and recognition. The political and economic configurations in Southern Philippines were radically altered during the American occupation. It began with a peace pact known as Bates Treaty in 1899, with the Sultan of Su