Mindanao-On the knife's edge: Insurgency-MILF rebels

For decades, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its military wing Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) rebels have been fighting the Philippine government to gain an independent state of Bangsamoro, but the struggle for self-determination dates from 16th century when the Spaniards sent military expeditions to subjugate the Muslims.

The government’s unilateral declaration of the suspension of military operations (SOMO) on 23 July 2009 and the MILF’s order to suspend their military action (SOMA) on 25 July 2009 gave a glimmer of hope to some 600,000 people who were displaced during the August 2008 fighting to be able to return to their homes and livelihoods. Unfortunately this has never happened. Of these 600,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) the most vulnerable are children consisting more than 30 percent of the displaced who struggle with day-to-day life, often forced to abandon school in order to care for their siblings and find work in order to support their families. Some see the cease-fire declaration as a break for both sides to regroup and rearm.