Rubber dinghy, soldiers in

Music

01.00.00.00

dinghy,

tracking dinghy, houses on water, map

McGrath:  After almost three decades of civil war this is what peace looks like on the island of Mindanao in the Southern Philippines. 

Until just nine months ago, the Muslim minority wages a brutal war of independence against the Philippines Government costing untold thousands of lives.

Now a deal's been struck giving the Muslims control of only part of Mindanao but few believed the fragile peace can hold and this anti-terrorist squad remain on full alert.

00.35

Misuari with gun speaking, faces of soldiers

Misuari:  But some of our people that prepared this one, this is a very powerful weapon.

00.58

McGrath:  A year ago this man's name was enough to strike terror into the hearts of Filipinos.  Nur Misuari was the most prominent guerrilla leader of the dirty, difficult war.

01.00

Today he's a politician and courtesy of the peace agreement, he's the governor of the autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao.

Misuari:  This is an M14 uhm M16 used by the Americans during the Vietnam War.

01.21

Misuari with gun in hands, talking

McGrath:  But Misuari's ambition is to control still more of the island.  And in three year's time, the people will vote on that.

01.28

Misuari:  Every part of Mindanao we have these kinds of weapons M202, M203 ...

01.34

McGrath:  So now he must achieve his aims politically and give up his guns.

Misuari:  This one with a grenade launcher, see.  I want to turn Mindanao and the islands into one of the most peaceful parts of the globe. 

Misuari intv

Super:

NUR MISUARI

Governor,

Muslim Region

Peace is most important, see, see, peace is very important because without this we may not be able despite the fact that this land is so rich, we just don't know how much resources we have.

01.55

Soldiers on streets, men spreading out tracing paper, men sitting

McGrath:  No one else could have delivered peace to Mindanao - for 30 years Misuari dominated the conflict, commanding the largest best armed guerrilla force.

02.14

Misuari promised development to a people weary of war.  But as he courts investors from Saudi Arabia and Korea, the problems confronting him seem overwhelming - spiralling crime, radical Muslim factions and a suspicious Christian population.

And like other rebels turned politician Misuari finds himself isolated.  to his old comrades he's sold out, and to his old enemies he's still untrustworthy.

02.44

Misuari Intv

Misuari:  Are they not grateful that I agreed to give concessions to them?  But because of my being charged by my people for betraying the cause of elders, some people say only Nur Misuari may decide to sign this agreement - well, let them say what they want.

02.58

People on streets, traffic, soldiers

McGrath:  The first problem for Misuari to solve is crime.  His capital, Cotabato is gripped by terror.  Ironically months ago, Misuari would have encouraged this lawlessness.  Now it's his job to stop it.  But economic collapse in a city awash with weapons has turned kidnapping into a virtual industry.

03.35

Antonette Lu intv

Antonette:  Where are we going to get money?  How much are we going to pay?  Only have a very small business ...

04.01

Antonette with baby and mother, child, Antonette with baby

McGrath:  Antonette Lu's father was snatched from a private home by seven armed men dressed as police.  Antonette learned of his disappearance on the radio.

04.16

Her father, Fernando, is the third person in her family to be kidnapped.  But after four days she's heard nothing from the abductors.

Antonette intv

Super:

ANTONETTE LU

Antonette:  I could not help cry sometimes but I have to be strong.  I have to for my father's sake.

04.37

McGrath:  And for the rest of your family, how are they coping?

Antonette:  They support me.  They help me to be strong.

04.55

McGrath:  Sadly in Cotabato Antonette is just one of many.  There is a kidnapping here every three days.

05.06

Steeple, men walking, mosque

Prayers over loud speaker.

McGrath:  Beyond the troubled cities, Misuari faces a different set of problems - expectations he can't fulfill.

05.24

After leading Mindanao's Muslims on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Misuari visits family in the southern village of Taluksangay, home to Mindanao's first mosque.

Men hugging, kid running, people sitting

This is his heartland.  Misuari drew his guerrillas from villages like this.  Now they expect to be repaid.

05.44

Nur Misuari's biggest problem is time.  After 25 years of civil war in villages like this one with no water, no communications, people expect their chairman to fix their problems over night. 

05.58

Super:

CATHERINE McGRATH

He's got less than three years to prove himself.  That's when the government will hold a referendum on Mindanao.

Men loading boat, soldiers, boys fishing, soldiers, close up gun,

Before that vote, Nur Misuari must resettle his men.  Asli Saali is one of 30,000 soldiers who are looking to their leader to provide them with a future.

06.24

Asli and his friends left school at 12 to join the revolution  They were prepared to die for the cause.  Seven years later the peace deal has ended the only life they've ever known.

06.37

Intv with soldier

Asli:  I'm prepared to work as we have more chances if we work.  If there's a chance to go into business, I'll go into business.

06.51

CU gun, CU face of soldiers

McGrath:  But in reality, there are few business opportunities waiting for Asli Saali.  And their lack of education means that most of Misuari's cannot be integrated into the Philippines armed forces.

07.09

Misuari intv

McGrath:  Are you able to give the soldiers anything at the moment?

07.21

Misuari:  Nothing.  We have given them nothing.  Only 1,100 have been integrated, no are still in the process of being integrated.  We just have to accept our fate and reconstruct  our homeland with our bare hands, and with the support of our friends and our brothers from abroad.

07.24

Soldiers being drilled

McGrath:  But radical Muslim brothers at home are in fact Misuari's biggest threat.  This rag tag group of soldiers is still fighting the Philippines government - and by default, now fighting Misuari.

08.05

They're from the rival fundamentalist splinter group the Moro Islamic Liberation  Front. They claim they could call on 120,000 men - after massive defections from Misuari's side.

08.21

Morad intv

Super:

AL HADJ MORAD

Moro Islamic Liberation Front

Al Hadj Morad:  Our fighters have a very high morale.  They are willing to die for the cause, and they are willing to sacrifice.  We have been waging this war for more than 20 years and our fighters are determined and up to now they're morale is very high.

McGrath with Morad and another man seated at table,

McGrath:  Hadj Morad is the military chief of staff of the MILF. 

08.54

running water,

men on bridge,

Morad:  ... the area.

truck through

river, interior vehicle, tracking shot of houses,

McGrath:  This is Buldon where the shelling has been going on.

muddy road

McGrath:  Their jungle camp Abu Bakar in the hills of Mindanao was especially chosen because it's remote and difficult to overrun.

09.18

Even travel within it's boundaries is treacherous.  There are no sealed roads and 10,000 people live here without running water or electricity.

09.33

Wood being sawed, Morad intv

They're self sufficient, even making their own tools and weapons.

09.54

Morad:  We want to liberate the entire Bangsa Moro people so that is the objective of the MILF.  Ideally it would be entire Mindanao, however we feel that at this point in time, since not all of Mindanao is occupied by the Bangsa Moro people, so maybe we can be flexible on the area.

09.59

Men with guns walking to house, going up steps, men in gaol

McGrath:  Every aspect of life at Abu Bakar is ruled by the Koran - including crime and punishment.  The MILF levies it's own taxes and runs it's own courts and prisons.  This one holds people who've committed minor offences under Islamic law.

10.24

For major offences the MILF has other gaols and it's own firing squads.  This rebel group is the government here - and even if this is not Misuari's model of an independent Muslim state, it terrifies the Christians of Mindanao.

10.47

Lu Antonino intv

Super:

LU ANTONINO

Christian Congresswoman

Person:  The feel now is in the countryside where some of the MILF members who have not been absorbed by the army are now down from the hills and still are and they do not know what to do.

11.07

Priest saying mass

Singing

church, people in

church, holding hands, people taking communion

McGrath:  Despite Misuari's ambition to extend Muslim control, in fact 85 percent of Mindanao is Christian.  And unlike Misuari's capital Cotabato, this city General Santos is peaceful.

11.33

The economy here is booming and the locals want to protect their prosperity.  That's why they don't join Nur Misuari's Muslim region.

11.47

Congresswoman Lu Antonino is already campaigning for a no vote in the 1999 referendum.  She's suspicious of Nur Misuari.

11.56

Lu Antonino intv

Lu Antonino:  Perhaps being a rebel leader you distrust the man.  In his capability, or capacity to be a leader within the system, I think I don't have enough confidence in Nur Misuari.

12.06

Misuari intv

Super:

NUR MISUARI

Governor,

Muslim Region

Misuari:  These carpetbaggers who came from Luzon who have grabbed all our land, we have every reason to be suspicious of their motivations for coming here. 

12.20

We defended this land for four centuries with our blood and yet our people were saying they don't trust us, what reason do they have if they don't trust us.  They'd better get away from here.  We don't need them here.

Religious icon, church, traffic and people on streets, mosque, young girl running into water, boats and houses, man

McGrath:  This fiery exchange reveals Misuari has not yet acquired the political skills needed to woo voters especially Christians who are in the majority and remain hostile to him.

12.53

carrying water

But it's not just the Christians.  In this same city there's a Muslim constituency Misuari must win over presenting a different challenge to his political skills.

13.11

The waterfront in this boomtown is prime real estate.  A multi-million dollar hotel is planned here.  But this small Muslim community and their mosque will have to go.

Laila Matabalao intv

Laila Matabalao:  They can build a five star hotel and the Mosque is still there?  Yes.  If I were the engineer or the constructor, I could build the five star hotel with the Mosque still there.

13.44

Beach, men washing feet, men praying in mosque, man speaking to men in mosque

McGrath:  This is a slum community and Laila and her neighbours built their Mosque, brick by brick, from tiny donations collected over years. 

14.16

They've appealed to Nur Misuari, who has to juggle the wider public benefit with the local interests of his politically savvy constituents.

14.32

Laila Matabalao intv

Laila Matabalao:  In late February if they force to demolish this Mosque I think many people will die, because we will go hand in hand, we will not let it happen.

14.43

Family in kitchen, food served, eating, intv with Matabalao

McGrath:  Laila's family refused to leave although most of the community has been relocated.  They're fighting the development in the courts and they're sending a message to Nur Misuari.

15.00

McGrath:  What if Nur Misuari cannot help you?

15.13

Laila Matabalao:  We have other leaders, not only Nur Misuari.

15.18

People coming down stair of aeroplane, greeting and kissing

McGrath:  Nur Misuari must learn the tough lessons of electoral survival.  He has a monumental job ahead of him.  He must provide for impoverished Muslims and placate fearful Christians before the referendum in 1999.

15.27

Part politician, part pragmatic rebel, Misuari says there'll be war again if voters reject him.

15.44

McGrath:  If you don't win the referendum, there will be war?

Misuari intv

Misuari:  Most probably there will be war in Mindanao because people will be disenchanted and disappointed.  After we achieve the peace, there will be another disturbance you see.  Of course, I don't like the recurrence of war. 

15.55

I don't like bloodshed anymore.  But that's just the way I look at things.  If the people are not satisfied with the outcome, what do you expect then?

Wide shot of river

Music

boats on river

kids playing in water

McGrath:  Getting this far has been hard enough. Bringing real peace and prosperity to Mindanao now will be much harder still.

16.37

ENDS

16.56