Will there be peace?

PHILIPPINES - In Brief 22 Jun 2017 by Romeo Bernardo

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It has been one month since President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao following what he said was an act of rebellion by a group of Muslim extremists that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). Fighting between government forces and the extremists has been intense but limited to the small city of Marawi where military bombings to flush out the terrorists holed up in buildings are continuing. So far, reports indicate that casualties include 268 terrorists, 65 government soldiers and 26 civilians; as well as hundreds of thousands of mostly Muslim residents driven out of their homes, with tens of thousands living in cramped refugee centers in nearby towns which in turn, has led to sickness and reports of deaths. With government forces claiming control of over 90% of the city, there is talk that the fighting will end soon, perhaps as early as Monday which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Should that target be missed, speculations are that the President would at least want to end the siege and proclaim victory before his State of the Nation Address in late July. Too, there is a 60-day deadline for martial law counting from the eve of May 23, which may only be extended by CongressWhile an end to the fighting and the refugee crisis would be a most welcomed development, there is nevertheless a gnawing fear among Muslims, remembering similar fierce government assaults against their communities in the past, that the end would come at too high a price – the loss of more lives, with many civilians still trapped inside the city, some taken as hostages, and a flattened city, home to a predominantly Muslim population. The fear is that su...