Through his art, Abraham Sakili tries to counter the 'historical conditioning' of the majority that Muslims are a threat to national security.

Interview by CRISELDA YABES

Abraham Sakili, professor of Islamic Art at the University of the Philippines, thinks the Moro problem is, more than anything else, cultural. Real autonomy -- not the kind that the Muslim region has now, where the power is still dispensed from the center in Manila – he says, can address this. But while the Muslims in Mindanao are waiting for the expectedly long process toward federalism to start, Sakili hopes to use his art to make both Muslims and non-Muslims understand the problem and work for solutions.

An ethnic Tausug, Sakili was raised in Jolo, the capital of Sulu province. He fled his home town after its burning in the 1970s and spent his time in Tawi-Tawi and, later, in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, where he was a scholar at the Mindanao State University.

How did you try to articulate the Moro problem through your art?

"Bangsamoro"

I developed my own [style]. I knew a number of people who were more or less actively opposing the government. Some of them were my classmates in high school. They turned out to be MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) commanders. About half of my classmates became members of the MNLF. We were so young, in second year high school. They lived in the rural area so they had no choice. Each time we met in town they shared their experiences in the battlefield. When the opportunity came for me to visualize those experience in my work, some of what they told me became part of my art using abstract and social realism.

How did your painting show the problem?

My view of the problem is that it is a multi-dimensional-system problem and very complex at that. Through time I was able to consolidate my view of it. In its complexity there is a core, at the bottom of which is not economic, it is not even political, but it is basically cultural. The Muslims in the Philippines constitute a bangsa culturally distinct from and historically older than the Filipino nationality.

Why cultural?

"Peace Marker"

This distinct nationality has been forcibly incorporated and is in the process of being assimilated into the national body system. But to be clear, the Philippine government officials or policy makers might not be conscious of it. To them it is just a matter of integrating the Muslims…but with poverty and lack of political empowerment, they (the Muslims) have become vulnerable to the forces of assimilation. That’s the nature of cultural encounter. Incidentally, the historical consciousness of the Muslims is so high that in spite of their lack of economic resources or inadequate political representation in the national body system, their strong consciousness has, in the meantime, provided the shield against such possibility.

What do you believe is the solution in Sulu?

There are many that have been pointed out. Since it is a system problem, then solution should be systemic—meaning comprehensive and not piecemeal. It should not only be one solution because of the multidimensional nature of the problem having political, economic, agrarian, socio-psychological, and historical dimensions, among others. But at the core is the cultural one I present [to you]. Here (interviewee shows a Powerpoint diagram) is the problem showing the interrelationships of its causes at the different dimensions and levels or degree of significance to the Muslims.

After the uprising in Jolo in the 1970s, it has not been able to pick up. Don’t local Muslim politicians also take advantage of the situation by keeping the status quo?

Of course they don’t have a choice. I always look at them within the context of the power relations in the Philippine system. If you want to join politics, then you also have to consider the nature of relationship of being dictated by a highly unitary system of Philippine governance. By unitary, power relation is dictated by Malacañang. That’s why among those that the Muslims are proposing is to restructure the basis of relationship from a highly unitary setup to a federalized kind, to afford some kind of empowerment to the Muslims.

But isn’t Sulu part of the autonomous region?

"Gabbang Player"

Autonomy cannot function effectively if the general structure of the unitary system is not altered radically to respond to the extraordinary needs of solving the problem. Anybody, who would be assigned to manage such inadequate setup would inevitably be corrupted. Such kind of autonomy is ineffective because that is linked to the highly centralized structure of the Philippine system. The appetite for power of those in the center will continue to control or to impinge upon those in the periphery. So it’s only “autonomy” in name, it’s not real autonomy. It’s better to call it “automated” rather than autonomous. And really it has been automated from the center of power. To make autonomy work, there must be overhauling first of the Philippine Constitution, to allow a federal system to be institutionalized and to work. There seems to be a national dilemma with empowering the Muslims. The national psyche is not for it. It seems not to their liking to see the Muslims being empowered politically because historical conditioning continue to reinforce the majority’s perception of the Muslims as threat to national security. The persistence of the negative “Moro Image” in the psyche of the majority affirms such perception.

Who wants military to be there?

They are sent by the central government to safeguard its interests, among which is accordingly to provide security to local government officials to help them in carrying out their functions. These so-called local government officials, who are Muslims themselves are actually representing most the interests of the center.

And not the interests of the Muslims?

Not so much. They are very much limited by the kind of small power and meager resources allocated upon them by the central government. So nothing will work.

Where do you think the Tausug youth of Sulu stand?

Considering the reality of the environment there, there is no other way for them to go except to be radicalized in the process. No matter how much education we inculcate, if the bad economic, bad political and bad peace and order persist, then anybody exposed to such conditions would develop that kind of disposition demanded by that kind of environment.

What do u mean radicalized?

They would become potential recruit of radical groups—the Abu Sayyaf, the MNLF and other groups.

Do you believe that is the way for them?

"Burning of Jolo"

They have no choice, because the environment dictates so. If there are agencies or people interested to bring about solution to the problem, they should provide comprehensive or system solution to such system problem, as in Muslim Mindanao and Sulu. It must be comprehensive, not piecemeal. What the Muslims basically need now is the guarantee to the survival and empowerment of their distinct Bangsamoro identity which is being threatened, because of the vulnerability of all aspects of their lives, specially political, economic, agrarian and demographic, among others.

When you create art, what do you want to impart?

Education. Not only for the Muslims but the non-Muslims as well. I still believe that in solving the problem, both sides have to be educated. The Muslims [should be] knowledgeable of their problem…. The non-Muslims should also be educated and it is also for that reason why I paint, write, and conduct lectures, because I believe in the power of education to help solve the Mindanao problem..

How do you make non-Muslims aware?

I believe in truth, and educating them about the Mindanao problem provides them the true picture of the situation. At the bottom of everyone’s heart is the truth. They might not sympathize with the Muslims emotionally but at least they can understand.

When do you think this conflict will end?

On the horizon, I can’t see it. The solution now lies more on the national authority which has the resources and power to solve it. It needs will, sincerity and understanding of the Muslim perspective of the Mindanao problem which at its core requires guarantee in safeguarding and empowering of the distinct and Islamic-based Bangsamoro identity. In diagnosing and solving problem such as involving the Muslims in the Philippines, culture should not be taken for granted It is most powerful in the human psyche. Though culture is unconscious and often taken-for-granted, it is a vital force that animates and motivates one’s life, and defines one’s reasons for existence.

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*This story is part of Newsbreak's Mindanao Online Reporting project funded by the Australian Embassy.
*Photos provided by Abraham Sakili