A group calling themselves as Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM) on Friday said historical error justifies the political struggle of the Bangsa Moro people who wanted to separate from Luzon and Visayas regions.
In an MIM statement posted at a Viber group called Mindanao and Sabah Democratic Alliance (MASADA) on 2 February, the group described Mindanao "as an abandoned US protectorate."
"In light of historical facts, the Mindanao Independence Movement asserts that Mindanao and Sulu were independent protectorates of the United States, occupied through conquest or acts of war. These territories were not included in the territory ceded by Spain through the 1898 Treaty of Paris and the subsequent Declaration of Independence in the same year," the MIM statement read.
"Historically, Mindanao and Sulu were occupied and colonized by the Americans after a 12-year Moro Rebellion (1899-1913), which was distinct from the Spanish-American War in 1898. Prior to American occupation, Mindanao was a territory ruled by tribal datus, Maranao, Maguindanao, and Sulu Sultanates, which were not subjects to Spanish colonial rule. While Spain was unable to establish settlements or send missionaries to some parts of the region, tribal and Moro leaders effectively controlled the area," MIN added.
The Treaty of Paris, they said, which marked the transfer of the Philippine islands from Spain to the United States, "was silent about Mindanao, and it was not included in the 20 million dollars paid for US possession of the islands."
"Furthermore, Mindanao was not encompassed in the declaration of independence made by President Aguinaldo in 1898 in Kawit Cavite. The territories of the new Republic only covered the Luzon and Visayas islands. This omission was significant, and it is worth noting that on July 4, 1902, US President Theodore Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring the end of the Philippine rebellion, except in Mindanao and Sulu,"MIM pointed out.
It added, that to exert control over the region, "the US established the Department of Mindanao and Sulu in 1903 and initiated a violent pacification campaign against the Bangsa Moro people until the uprising was contained."
This campaign, MIM explained, eventually led to the creation of a civil-military government. "During the American colonial rule, settlers from Visayas and Luzon were encouraged to migrate to Mindanao and develop farmlands in the region. This influx of Christian settlers resulted in a significant population growth in the area."
"While the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934 played a crucial role in paving the way for Philippine independence, it did not explicitly address the status of Mindanao and Sulu. The act focused on the territories ceded by Spain, leaving the issue of Mindanao's political status unresolved," MIM further explained.
These historical events and policies, according to MIM, have shaped the complex relationship between Mindanao, the United States, and the rest of the Philippines. The issues surrounding the historical and legal basis of Mindanao's inclusion in the Philippine territory continue to be debated and have influenced the political struggles and aspirations of the Bangsa Moro people.
"The Mindanao Independence Movement believes that the historical and legal basis for the annexation of Mindanao and Sulu to Luzon and Visayas is questionable. The movement asserts that this historical error justifies the political struggle of the Bangsa Moro people, who seek to address the injustices and assert their rights and autonomy in Mindanao and Sulu," they said.
