Terrorism, not religion, involved in Zambo standoff — Hataman

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao urged the public on Saturday not to inject the issue of religion into the standoff in Zamboanga City between government forces and guerrillas of the Moro National Liberation Front or the spillover of the violence in Basilan.

Hataman made the appeal amid reports that animosity between Muslim and Christians in Zamboanga was increasing.

“There are some people who are taking advantage of the situation in furthering their vested interests. But let us look at it carefully; this is a matter of terrorism being sown that the government was fighting against,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview.

He said the violence, involving followers of MNLF founder Nur Misuari, was not affecting only followers of a particular religion but all of Zamboanga City. In fact, Hataman said, most of those displaced were Muslims.

“Look at the population of Rio Hondo, Sta. Catalina, Kasanyangan and Sta. Barbara, majority is made up of Muslims. The barangay captains are mostly Muslims,” Hataman said.

He also cited the situation in Basilan.

“Mostly Muslims are affected, so where is the religious color there?” Hataman added.

As of Saturday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s operations center in Zamboanga City reported that 62,329 individuals, now staying in about 20 evacuation centers across the city, had been displaced.

The increase in the number of displaced persons was brought about by renewed fighting between MNLF men and government security forces.

“A lot of people, about 90 percent Muslims, are suffering from this man-made calamity that Misuari is answerable for,” he said.

Hataman warned residents of Zamboanga City and Mindanao in general not to be misled by deceptive tactics aimed at driving deeper the wedge between Muslims and Christians.

“We need to be informed properly and not to believe in deceptions,” he said. “At this stage and all stages in life, unity and prayer are still the most powerful weapon of all.”

“Let us unite against terrorism and let us pray that this would be over soon,” he added.

The ARMM governor also urged Misuari to come out and explain what was going on even as he insisted that Misuari should be made answerable.

“If we send to jail a man for stealing a cellphone, why can’t we send to jail a man who uses terror to further his ambitions?” Hataman said. “This is the making of Misuari’s faction and as MNLF leader, it is his command responsibility to explain what the skirmishes and hostage-taking of mostly innocent Moro civilians are all about.”

MNLF guerrillas, most of them armed, arrived in Zamboanga City at dawn on Monday, saying they were scheduled to hold a peace rally at Plaza Pershing, which is in front of theZambonga City Hall. Their presence caused panic among residents, and later led to skirmishes with government forces.