Moro National Liberation Front facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) |
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| الجبهة الوطنية لتحرير مورو Participant in Moro conflict |
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Flag and logo of the MNLF
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| Active | October 21, 1972 – September 2, 1996 (as a secessionist group) September 2, 1996 – present (as a political organization) |
| Ideology |
Anti-Malaysian sentiment (Misuari faction) |
| Leaders | Disputed since 1996 Nur Misuari (MNLF) and Mus Sema (MNLF EC-15) |
| Headquarters | Sulu, Philippines |
| Area of operations | Mindanao, Philippines |
| Allies | State allies Government of the Philippines Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (until 2011) Government of Malaysia (Mus Sema faction)Non-state allies  MILF (MNLF EC-15) Sulu Sultanate (Jamalul Kiram III loyalist) (Misuari faction) |
| Opponents | State opponents Government of Malaysia (Misuari faction) Non-state opponent  Al-Qaeda
MILF (Misuari faction) New People's Army |
| Designated as a terrorist organisation by | |
 Malaysia (Misuari faction) |
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The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is a political group in the Philippines. It was started in 1972. The MNLF began as a smaller group that broke away from the Muslim Independence Movement. For about 20 years, starting in the 1970s, the MNLF was the main group fighting for Moro self-rule.
In 1996, the MNLF signed an important peace agreement with the Philippine government. This happened when Fidel Ramos was president. The agreement led to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). This area includes five provinces where most people are Muslim. They have some power to govern themselves. Nur Misuari became the governor of this region. However, his time as governor ended in trouble. He led a failed uprising against the government in November 2001. He then went to Sabah but was sent back to the Philippines by Malaysia.
The MNLF is recognized by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The OIC is a group of countries that work together. Since 1977, the MNLF has been an observer member of the OIC. This means they can attend meetings and share their views. In 2012, the MNLF also became an observer member of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC).
Contents
History of the MNLF
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The Philippine government once encouraged Christian families to move to Mindanao. This was part of a program from 1903 to 1973. At that time, many native people in Mindanao did not have official land titles. Some Christian settlers took advantage of this. Areas like Lanao and Cotabato saw many new people arrive. This caused arguments between Moros and Christians over land. These land disputes were a big reason for the Moro conflict.
It has been hard to stop fighting in the Southern Philippines. This is because of poverty, concerns from the Muslim population, and the difficult land.
On March 18, 1968, an event happened involving Moro soldiers on Corregidor Island. This event led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Liberation Organization (BMLO). Later, the MNLF was founded on October 21, 1972. It was started by Nur Misuari and others. The MNLF says it believes in egalitarianism, which means everyone is equal. It is a non-religious group, unlike some other groups that came from it.
Leaders and Changes
The MNLF was the main group for Moro self-rule for about 20 years. But after the 1996 peace agreement, some people became unhappy with Nur Misuari's leadership. This caused the group to split. Also, many former fighters joined regular society, which made the group weaker. Today, there are several different groups that claim to be the MNLF. For example, one group led by Hadja Bainon Karon supported a peace deal in 2012. Nur Misuari had disagreed with that deal.
Some of the splits in the MNLF happened because of different tribal groups. A report from the United Nations Security Council in 2010 said that some groups that split from the MNLF, like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf, have used child soldiers.
Peace Discussions
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In 1976, Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya helped the MNLF and the Philippine government talk. They signed the Tripoli Agreement on December 23, 1976. This agreement aimed to create a self-governing region for Muslim Filipinos. However, the agreement did not last long. President Ferdinand Marcos decided to create two self-governing regions instead of one. These regions included only 10 of the 13 provinces that were first agreed upon. This led the MNLF to continue fighting.
In the 1980s, the MNLF changed its goal from full independence to just wanting self-rule. In 1986, there were attempts to make a ceasefire and a peace agreement, but they failed.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was created in 1989. The MNLF was against this at first.
Peace talks started again in 1992 with help from the OIC, Libya, and Indonesia. Several agreements were made between 1992 and 1996. The Jakarta Peace Agreement was signed in 1996.
There have been ongoing disagreements between the Philippine Government and the MNLF. These include how to share mineral wealth and problems with putting the peace agreement into action. Nur Misuari's group still opposes parts of the peace agreement.
In 2015, Nur Misuari said that the MNLF was not involved in the North Borneo dispute. He stated that only the Sultanate of Sulu could talk with Malaysia about the claim to Sabah. The MNLF believes that Sabah is a peaceful home for many different Muslim groups from Southeast Asia.
The European Union and the United States do not consider the MNLF a "terrorist" group.
Zamboanga City Incident
In 2013, Nur Misuari's group declared independence for the Bangsamoro Republik. They then attacked Zamboanga City. During this event, the Philippine government said the group used civilians as human shields. Because of this, the Philippine government called them terrorists. The United States also mentioned this event in one of its reports.
Today's Situation
The Moro National Liberation Front, led by Nur Misuari, has had talks with President Rodrigo Duterte. Misuari and Duterte have met several times. Duterte is also thinking about giving more self-rule to Misuari's group. Misuari also discussed Federalism with Duterte.
The government created the GPH-MNLF Peace Coordinating Committee. This committee works to complete the remaining parts of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. It also deals with safety and economic problems in Sulu. The committee aims to help solve conflicts in Mindanao with the MNLF's help.
On August 12, 2022, Abdulkarim Misuari and Nurrheda Misuari were appointed as Members of Parliament. They joined the Bangsamoro Transition Authority under President Bongbong Marcos. Their appointment will last until the next elections for the Bangsamoro Parliament in 2025.
Members of the Executive Council of 15 were part of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. This was with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Yusop Jikiri and Muslimin Sema support the Bangsamoro Organic Law. After this law was passed, members of the EC-15 were appointed to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority by President Duterte.
The MNLF Flag
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The flag of the Moro National Liberation Front has a golden yellow star and crescent. It also has a kris (a type of dagger) on a red background. The star stands for truth, fairness, equality, and being understanding. The crescent moon means wisdom. The kris shows strength. The red background represents the Moro people's fight for survival and self-rule.
Even though it has a star and crescent, which are often linked to Islam, the flag's design is not religious. The flag's design can look a bit different sometimes. There is also a version of the flag that has a shahadah (a Muslim declaration of faith) on the star and crescent. This flag was also used for the Bangsamoro Republik, a state that was declared but not widely recognized.
See also
- Bangsamoro Party
