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Moro Oxford Scholar Reveals Causes of Terrorism in RP Society |
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Written by Anna Lacson
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Friday, 26 December 2003 |
Samira Ali Gutoc, A young Muslim leader and peace journalist, was turned down as a newscaster in a Manila TV station because she would not remove her veil.
It is not physical violence, but it is an act of oppression all the more serious because it is of the kind that happens everyday. Moving in a society which only seems to have rid itself of its prejudices, and where minorities - Muslims, in this case - are not taken seriously just for being different, Gutoc conducted a study on the conditions that push some of her fellow Muslims in the South to organize and engage in terrorist acts.
Her research paper, entitled "Causes of Terrorism: Philippine Case," was the product of a three-month fellowship grant at Oxford University's Centre for Islamic Studies. She was sponsored by the British Embassy and the British Council, which have always supported efforts to break down barriers between communities in the Philippines.
In time for International Human Rights Day, the student-friendly, "unacade-mic"-looking booklet was launched last December 10 at the Via Mare Penthouse of the Philippine Stock Exchange Center in Ortigas, with the likes of Senator Loren Legarda, former president of the National Defense College Dr. Clarita Carlos, Swiss Ambassador Lise Favre and Professor Taha Basman of UNESCO participating in the forum.
The breadth and complexity of the subject was dealt with in a Southeast Asian and Philippine context, dissecting the definition of the word and focusing on local groups such as the Abu Sayyaf - their grievances and operations - the acts of which the Muslim majority in the country condemns.
Despite this, according to Gutoc, a discussion of the " why's of terrorism" - citing historical, economic and societal factors, among others - is still necessary to understand why groups like the Abu Sayyaf organize in the first place, noting that most of those enticed to join are the idealistic and the displaced, who are denied equal opportunity in the non-Muslim world. Conflict does not arise simply from religious or cultural differences, or a mentality of "we vs. they."
Terrorism in the country, as well as its causes, need to be addressed, Gutoc said, adding that these have affected progress and development and built mistrust between religions. The problem has also spilled over from the Southern provinces to metropolitan centers.
Citing some short and long-term responses to the problem of terrorism in the Philippines, Gutoc wrote that the Abu Sayyaf, "is a domestic problem, thus its solutions must also be local in scope." She discouraged the government's use of military strategy, noting that it is counter-productive, and tends to alienate people from joining peace initiatives, among other reasons.
Terrorism's roots are deeper than random acts of violence. "Much has to be done in the world to bridge the divides among people," Gutoc wrote.
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