muslims, philippine indigenous peoples

the great need for self-governance and self-determination by the muslims in the southern part of the Philippines is a must if there has to be peace in that part of the southeast asian region.

if the enemies of mdme gloria macapagal arroyo will continue with their charade, indeed, as blogger girbaudz says, there really will be war in that part of asean. and it happened. whereas, it could never have happened had the philippine government not failed in the negotiations with the muslims. and in turn, the government would not have failed in the talks and initial signing of agreements, if the philippine opposition did not selfishly claim that it is now high time for Mdame. Gloria to resign or be ousted from the presidency. otherwise, as widely known about that country in places like south africa -- home of hired killers or soldiers of the fortune -- gloria arroyo might just be killed.

out of the loop

african people have always been out of the loop. a lot of indigenous people are out of this loop. no one notices. up to now africa and indigenous peoples, even at this time when the united nations established the un forum on indigenous issues and many nations' governments have formed agencies for tribal affairs, are still the vaunted ghost men and women. like ralph ellison wrote in his novel, The Invisible Man:

It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naive. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself. But first I had to discover that I am an invisible man!

in asia, latin america, in many other places around the world, this is also true. for this reason, so much has to be done to change the way things are right now. from government programs and responses, the private sector's general attitude and behavior towards africa and media, church as well as other basic sectors' approaches to africa.

it is not yet too late to do something, instead of perpetuating the hardships and pain of africans.