By Luke Hunt
A peace deal struck between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) adds another tick to President Begnino Aquino’s list of achievements since coming to office almost two-and-a-half years ago. Since conflict first erupted in the mid-1970s, the quest for a Bangsamoro homeland has claimed more than 120,000 lives.
However, whether this latest effort to find peace and enduring stability for the people of Mindanao will win the necessary support from the Christians and institutions that overwhelmingly run the rest of the country remains to be seen.
Establishing a homeland is critical in this effort. An Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was established in 1996 after years of negotiations with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). But not all agreed on the terms, the rebels splintered and the MILF fought on for a better deal.
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