MILF jihadists withdraw from plundered Christian area, claim leaders had not approved of land seizure

Withdrawing from the area does not undo the damage. Rather, it only completes an act of intimidation, whereby the Christian farmers, if they choose to stay, are on notice that neither they nor their property are safe, and remain subject to the whim of their jihadist overlords. The MILF jihadists may return at any time with more demands, and have demonstrated the capability of driving them off of their lands. In other words, the land seizure was a gesture toward the intended future status of the Christian residents as dhimmis, unless and until they are expelled altogether.

More on this story. "Muslim rebels in the Philippines withdraw from village, allow Christians to return," from the Associated Press, May 5 (thanks to Sheik Yer'mami):

MANILA, Philippines: Muslim separatist rebels withdrew from a southern Philippine village and allowed about 1,000 Christian farmers to return after tensions flared over a land dispute, a military official said Monday.

The standoff in the coastal village of Sangay highlighted the fragile situation in the southern Philippines, where mediator Malaysia announced it was pulling out cease-fire monitors amid a lack of progress in settling a decades-long Muslim insurgency.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas entered the village in Sultan Kudarat province last Wednesday demanding food, confiscating rice and sending Christian residents fleeing, Mayor Rolando Garcia said.

Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said the occupation occurred because of competing claims to the land, but the action had not been approved by rebel leaders.

About 300 rebels withdrew over the weekend following talks with the provincial government, said Col. Danilo Garcia, a regional military commander.

"It's all about a land conflict," he said, adding the rebels claimed that Christian settlers had no right to be there.

It was not clear how the dispute was resolved, but such incidents have fueled the struggle of minority Muslims for self-rule.

"Such incidents have fueled the struggle of minority Muslims for self-rule." Or rather, the Islamic imperative to establish the rule of Sharia law has been the catalyst for open-ended jihad, and the resulting "land disputes."

Posted by Marisol at May 5, 2008 8:51 PM
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