Philippines in the shade of the IS-terror

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A couple of hundred IS fighters occupied in the past year, the city of Marawi in the South of the island state. The Philippine army defeated, but the Terror has taken root. Sandra Petersmann is reported from Marawi.

Abdul looks directly into the camera as he talks about his broken dream. He has lost 40 friends. Parents and relatives are now living in shelters. “Our original Plan was to just military camp in Marawi to attack and expel the soldiers from the city,” he tells DW. Then, as it had promised to the leader, could not prevent the Philippine government, the establishment of an Islamic state in the southern Philippines longer.

The slender young man has covered his face for protection with an Arab head cloth. Only his eyes are visible. Otherwise, he wears Jeans, sneakers and a gray Hoodie like a normal Boy from the neighborhood. A meeting place for our interview is a ruined former school on the edge of military restricted zone. In the entrance area, someone has sprayed with a yellow color “I love ISIS” on the wall, the terrorist militia “Islamic state” (IS) is called here. The spell is covered with a piece of cloth. On the floor, trash, Ceilings, and cartridges are sleeves. From the top floor you have a panoramic view of the debris landscape.

“Ground Zero” in Marawi: the rebuild has begun

The historical centre Marawis remains more than a year after the end of the fight on lockdown. The refugees-the inhabitants call it the restricted zone “Ground Zero”, because everything here is destroyed. Systematic air strikes, heavy artillery bombardment and the relentless urban combat have transformed the heart of Marawis in a Ghost town – such as Mosul, Aleppo or Raqqa.

Abdul was 17 years old, as he was from local extremists for the “Muslim liberation struggle” to recruit. To his parents, he donated the bonus he got for it: 7000 Pesos, the equivalent of about 120 Euro. This is a lot of money in this impoverished Region. They were proud of him and not asked many questions. That Muslim families send their sons into battle, in the South of the Philippines has a long Tradition.

The Historical Injustice

On Mindanao, the second largest island in the country, rages one of the longest conflicts in Asia. The armed rebellion against the Philippine state began to be cited at the end of the 1960s, of rival rebel groups: Maoist, nationalist, Islamist. Their goals range from independence to a complete change in the political system. Only slightly more than five percent of the Philippine population are Muslim, the vast majority is Roman Catholic. Over 90 percent of all Muslims – a total of about six million people live on Mindanao and smaller neighbouring Islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi. But even here they are today in the minority.

Many Muslims feel to be a victim of a historic injustice prevails – first perpetrated by the Spanish colonizers in the 16th century. Century, the Christianity and the local population threw – continued brought in 20. Century of the US-American and Japanese “invaders” – sanctioned today by the “imperialists in the capital, Manila” in the North of the island Kingdom. Abdul holds a Philippine politician by the Bank for corrupt and dishonest. He also believes that the government locates targeted Christians in Mindanao, for Muslims like him.

Graffiti in a school in Marawi, which was used during the siege as a shooting range, miss

The dream of an Islamic state was to be a panacea against poverty, unemployment and anger. While his family supported the largest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), decided to Abdul in the spring of 2015 secretly for the extremist Maute-brothers who had the self-proclaimed “Islamic state” to the Loyalty oath. The leader of Abdullah and Omar Maute had spent many years in the Middle East and radicalized. Abdul disappeared for several months in a jungle camp. He learned how to handle guns and knives and enjoyed the “brotherhood”.

Between crime and Jihadism

Via WhatsApp and other Social Media channels to Abdul and his friends IS were-Propaganda Videos and sermons from Syria and Iraq, translated in your language, so that the young recruits were able to understand in Southeast Asia it is. In his jungle camp, about 30 were foreign fighters, reported Abdul: especially from the neighbouring countries of Indonesia and Malaysia, but also from the Arab region. Can’t we check its information.

At the end of the jungle training, he was given a Kalashnikov rifle and the equivalent of 160 euros. He received from now on, every month, in order for the d-day. Yes, he had killed with the new weapon, Abdul. In the fight of two rival families in Marawi, he had pulled the trigger, he says without remorse: “Even if you’re personally not enemies, are the enemies of your clan and your enemies. That is the case here.” The Transition between the crime and Jihadism is fluent. The violence on Mindanao has created a vacuum in the Clan-rule, criminal networks and corruption free to spread.

The historic center of Marawi is up today restricted military zone

Actually, the planned attack on the military post in the centre Marawis should start after the end of the fasting month of Ramadan in the summer of 2017, says Abdul. But after a hiding-place of the allies of the terrorist group Abu Sayaf in Marawi was blown, threw the Maute-brothers, apparently, all of the plans on-Board, and occupied the centre.

About 1000 mostly local fighters barricaded themselves according to the government, on 23. May 2017 in the city. They took dozens of people hostage and beheaded Christians. The exact number of Christian victims is unknown. That deviates from Abdul: “We should not only against Christians approach belonging to the government.” He refers to the Koran lessons in the Camp: “you have taught us that the Islam allows it, to take revenge for the wrong.”

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“Ground Zero” in Marawi

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Marawi, a year after the liberation

After the battle

Abdul was visiting family in the neighboring city of Iligan, as the battle of Marawi broke out prematurely. He became a scout and informed his entrenched friends Smartphone, troop movements of the Philippine army. In the end it needed massive air attacks, and 12,000 heavily armed soldiers and the support of allies US army in order to bring the largest Muslim city in the Philippines after five months under control. Some fighters to flee into the jungle. Abdul returned unmolested to his family.

About 1200 people have lost according to official data, your life, especially extremists such as the Maute-brothers. However, this information is in the population is controversial, because there is still a lot of family members are missing. Because of the enormous destruction of 65,000 people living in shelters today. It is the war of the law.

It was worth it, Abdul? The reply of the young man are the attempt of each wash away the guilt. “They have us brainwashed. The have promised us again and again, that will improve the life in Marawi, as soon as we have an Islamic state,” he says, almost defiantly: “they have promised us that we will not be attacked in the city.” Abdul is angry: At the government, “because it has bombed”. On the dead Maute-brothers, “because you have broken your promise”. The 21-Year-old is without his fighter-Sold again unemployed.

Mass grave in the outskirts of Marawi – the majority of the victims were not identified

In the shadow of terror

The government of Rodrigo Duterte, who hails as the first Philippine President of the self from Mindanao, has promised to the Muslims after the battle of Marawi, more autonomy. The minority should govern in the future with the help of its own basic law called Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) is largely self-determined. The most important negotiating partner in the peace negotiations is the largest rebel group, the MILF, the Abdul’s parents trust. As soon as the new fundamental law is in force, wants to disarm the MILF, around 30,000 fighters.

However, the autonomy should fail, “be here, doubt many people seriously at our credibility,” warns Sammy Al-Mansoor, the commander-in-chief of the MILF fighters, in an interview with DW in his simple jungle headquarters. “Then, the IS might try again, to try to make our fighters to poach. That would be very dangerous.” Also, Abdul had, in the spring of 2015 in the name of the IS poached. Now, under the impression of defeat, the promise of self-determination for the young fighter to be the new panacea. But for how long?

Abdul, not his real name, has chosen the meeting place in the bullet-ridden school in Marawi

Angry young men like Abdul, who are quick to delight and disappoint easily, remain susceptible to Propaganda. This fits in the plans of international terrorist organizations to take in South-East Asia foot while you lose in the Middle East territory. “I would fight again”, no longer insured Abdul: “But in our Muslim areas. Then would again suffer not only our own people. But if the fight takes place somewhere else, I would join in.”