short for my front-page deadline I decided to type out his
statement myself as he spoke. I was fast then as I am now
and started typing as he spoke with speed and clarity which
impressed me a lot. It was a long reply which he dictated to
me clearly in a wonderful voice that showed his experience
and political acumen. His statement left a good impression
and I was told that President Marcos read it with keen
interest and that he was impressed which, I hoped, helped
him to understand the Muslim cause and Misuari’s point of
view in a better way.
Thereafter Marcos’ government fell and another government
took over. The new government resumed talks with the Moros
to settle the outstanding issues and Misuari became a
provincial governor in the south. I had no more contacts
with Misuari and did not revisit the region of nearly 5,000
islands.
Together they make one of the loveliest places in the world,
but for the years of corruption and neglect during the
decades of dictatorship before, during and after Marcos and
the devastation caused by the Japanese invasion coupled the
war that the Americans rightly waged to liberate it, the
country might have been one of the greatest and most
prosperous in the world. I have little doubt that Marcos and
his so-called cronies must take the blame for much of the
miseries of the Filipinos that compelled millions of people
to leave the country in search of jobs abroad including
Saudi Arabia where they now number two million. They are
hard workers, loyal and make great nurses and helpers. They
are never accused of dishonesty, robbery and violation of
the country’s laws. They are also helpful to the Kingdom’s
economy unlike other nationalities because they spend some
of their incomes here while saving the balance for back
home.
They contribute substantially to their country’s economy as
they pour their savings into the banks back home thus
becoming the largest contributor next only to their
compatriots in the United States
Nur is of course a common Arab name today but Misuari
strikes me as a possible Arab tribal name from Miswar in
Yemen since millions of Arabs from Yemen including
Hadhramaut migrated to Java and the nearby islands in the
Philippines spreading Islam and promoting trade. Some of
them settled down there for good during the decades. I did
not tell him except that the then chief of staff of the
Yemeni armed forces was a well-known person called Miswari.
Miswari, according to his biography, was born in 1942 in
Jolo, Sulu. He completed his education through scholarships
at the University of Philippines where he was a student
activist leading the Mindanao Independence Movement before
organizing the famous Moro National Liberation Movement that
sought political reforms for Muslims before switching over
to an armed uprising against the Marcos regime which I
discussed in my last week’s article. During the struggle he
settled in Saudi Arabia until peace was declared and he
became the third governor of the autonomous region in
Mindanao. He remained there during the terms of Presidents
Ramos, Estrada and Gloria Arroyo.
Pre-Hispanic period: In the 14th century, Arab traders
landed on the island to introduce Islam. The native
inhabitants on the island are the Tausug people. The Tausugs
are part of the larger Moro group, which dominates the Sulu
Archipelago. The Moro had an independent state known as the
Sultanate of Sulu, which was politically and economically
centered at Julu, the residence for Sulu Sultanates. The
Seat of the Royal Sultanate of Sulu was in Astana Putih,
which is Tausug for ‘White Palace’ in Umbul Duwa in the
municipality of Indanan on Jolo Island.
Spanish Colonial Period: In 1521, the explorer Ferdinand
Magellan claimed the Philippines for Spain. The Spanish
failed to conquer and convert the Muslim areas in the south.
After consolidating the northern part of the Philippine
islands, they failed to take over the well-organized Muslim
Sultanates.
Farouk Luqman is an eminent journailst based in Jeddah.
