ANIMATION: War came to Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – The euphoria of peace following last year’s signing of a deal between the Aquino government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front gave way to agitated calls for war when a botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, in January 2015 ignited public outrage and cast doubt on the peace process. 

In an instant, a miscalculated police operation threatened to dismantle a process that was close to two decades in the making. 

Lost in the heated discussions were very basic questions: Why do we need to talk peace after all these years? What drove Moro rebels to take up arms, and why does the conflict persist to this day? What injustices need to be corrected? What laws and systems need to be put in place to address the roots of this stubborn war?

The history of the armed struggle in Mindanao runs deeper than all the liberation fronts that have championed its cause.

In Rappler’s 4-minute animation, we capture the highlights and the key moments of the conflict. At the end of the animation, we ask: Are we willing to take the next difficult steps?

The peace agreement with the MILF is in the final stage of deliberations in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The debates in and out of Congress have been acrimonious and prolonged, raising fears that the law implementing the peace accord may not pass at all under this administration. (READ: 4 scenarios if Bangsamoro bill is not passed)

As the bill faces a new round of scrutiny, Rappler’s #ProjectMindanao, in partnership with InciteGov, holds a forum on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the Security Bank Case Room, AIM Conference Center in Makati City from 4pm to 7pm, to discuss why we need to talk peace and the role the Bangsamoro Basic law plays in the peace process.

Entitled: “#HearMindanao: Why we should talk peace,” this conversation will bring together personalities representing different sides of the BBL debate: experts, advocates, and communities affected by the war.

Apart from tackling the significance of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the forum will also serve as a venue for dissecting contentious issues and for exploring ways to move forward in the quest for elusive peace. – Rappler.com