May 2, 2008 8:41 PM
Muslim rebels have forced hundreds of mainly Christian families off their farms in the southern Philippines, escalating tensions in the region ahead of the withdrawal of Malaysian peace monitors next week.Rolando Garcia, mayor of Kalamansig town on the troubled southern island of Mindanao, said that heavily-armed members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) claimed the farmers’ land belonged to the Muslim minority.
“We have about 1,200 people in our temporary shelter areas…afraid to return to their farms,” Garcia told reporters, adding rice was about to be harvested when the rebels came late on Wednesday.
The 11,000-strong MILF is meant to be observing a ceasefire and a spokesman for the rebel group said he was unaware of any land seizures.
“We have not received any report on that,” Eid Kabalu told reporters, adding the MILF leadership has ordered units to abide by a 2003 truce even after the Malaysian peace monitors withdraw.
Some MILF members are frustrated that long-running peace talks with Manila for the creation of a homeland for Muslims in the south of the largely Catholic country have been stalled since December 2007.
Last week, Malaysia said around 20 of 41 peacekeepers would leave on May 10 and the rest will be withdrawn by the end of August because the peace process, which Kuala Lumpur was chairing, was not moving fast enough.
Garcia said many Christian communities in the south feared of similar MILF attacks on their farms and villages as frustration boils over.
But analysts have said they do not expect the ceasefire to break down because most MILF members are war weary after a near 40-year conflict that has killed 120,000 people and displaced two million.
The MILF has questioned the sincerity of the government in wanting to create a Muslim homeland in the south.
Although President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has repeatedly said she wants peace, hawks in her cabinet are opposed to giving large swathes of land to Muslims and politically powerful Christian clans in the south would oppose a deal.
Source: Reuters
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No surprise to hear that. The “religion of peace” strikes again.
First of all I would like to condemn what MILF group is doing to other people. BUT it is very unfortunate that muslims are once again targetted without fully investigating the matter. The problem is people try to give their judgement on the basis of “biased” media reports. Well when so called “peace loving nations” can falsely (remember weapon of mass destruction drama!) invade other countries and kill thousands of innocent people then I think it is OK for the world.
The Filipino President is a Dhimmi. She’s betraying my Filipno Cousins (They’re Asiatic-Latins and Catholic)to the Muslims. Again the Phillipines is 95% Catholic, why is 5% allowed to dictate. The Muslims have something coming and if they continue, they will be dealt with on a global scale.
Zoomash,
Why is it Islam has beef with every civilization they border? Care to answer about that Cult started by a Dog Hating Pedophile?
Scarlett,
I’m considering writing an open letter to the Pope to call for a Crusade. It’s time for Catholics and our fellow Christian and Jewish brothers to stand up to Islam. It must be taught a lesson!
zoomash
You know where the bias lies. In Islam. Islam is biased and bigoted towards all else.
What about Darfur and Sudan? GENOCIDE!!!!!!!
Bias? Hell yes! Muslim hate and death? Hell yes!
Trajan
Why does the Muslim minority get their way. By threat and force.
And as you said dhimmis.
Well yes Islam is biased. Biased towards truth, dignity and brotherhood. You guys don’t even know anything about Islam. Whatever you know is from these media and anti-islam propoganda. You used words like Crusade, Jihad and Pedophile. Well let me tell you Jihad and crusade are the word used by Jesus(pbuh) in Bible also(If you care to read your “real” Bible and not the one written by “Churches”) These words are used for curbing evil inside you and not for killing human. Quran condemn killing of innocent human being.
Do remember there are always few “blabk sheeps” in every community and you cannot label any religion because of them. If I go according to your logic then because USA, Israel, Australia and UK went on an illegal war termed again by so called “un-biased” media “War on terror” and killed millions of innocent children, women and men just to find one person Bin Laden. So is follower of Chritianity evil, barbaric and “crusaders”. Definitly not. Every religion including Islam teaches peace and brotherhood but because media has started a false “advertising” against Islam, all the muslim’s are terrorist.
Think before reacting to a news. Evaluate the facts and then only jump to a conclusion.
zoomash
Dude please enlighten us. What is the ‘real Bible’?
And …um…Jesus has nothing to do with Islam. Nothing do you hear me? Nothing.
False media campaign? Don’t make me laugh.
Islam does a fine job on it’s own. The truth behind islam is the catalyst behind any bad PR.
Islam is slavery. Islam is barbaric. Islam does not recognize human rights. Islam is a death cult.
My force field is up your dawa will not penetrate. 😛
Crusades?
Early Islamic Conquest
Islam 101
Islam Religion of Peace
velvethammer
Do you know Muslims are more muslims than christians because they follow the message of Jesus(pbuh) and also Quran. Why do christians drink Alcohol and eat pork when it has been prohibited by Jesus himself? Also you asked what is ‘real’ Bible? I think I was wrong I should have said ‘red letter’ Bible. ‘Red letter’ Bible is one which contains the message of Jesus and rest are words added my church and politicians.
Here are few facts for you (which I am sure you will not agree as you are not willing to accept truth).
– Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.
– Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.
– Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, “Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?”
– Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?
– The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.