Inside the Moro Islamic Liberation Front

May 20, 2007 | Pulitzer Center

Victor Abdullah, a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) member, weeds an eggplant field at Camp Darapanan, southern Philippines. Abdullah and 18 other MILF soldiers belong to a cooperative that shares profits from the camp's corn, eggplant, rice, and bean crops. They each receive about $60 every month from the harvested crops.

Officially established in 1984, the MILF has been fighting for an independent Islamic state on the island of MIndanao. The organization is currently engaged in peace talks with the Philippine government and hopes to achieve a final agreement that would give the right of self-rule to the country's 6 million Muslims.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) soldiers man a checkpoint at the entrance to Camp Darapanan near Cotabato City, southern Philippines. Officially established in 1984, the MILF has been fighting for an independent Islamic state on the island of MIndanao. It maintains a 12,000-man army that is based in various guerrilla camps and civilian communities throughout the central and western regions of Mindanao.

The MILF is currently engaged in peace talks with the Philippine government and hopes to achieve a final agreement that would give the right of self-rule to the country's 6 million Muslims.

MILF troops mill corn in the village of Buliok, southern Philippines. A platoon size unit of rebel soldiers lives in this community with their families and has periodically fought government troops. In February 2003, the Philippine army attacked Buliok with artillery and aerial bombardments. More than 100 men on both sides died during the week-long offensive. This was the last major outbreak of hostilities between the Islamic secessionist movement and the government.

Commander Lapu-Lapu, left, organizes his men for a boat ride through the Liguasan Marsh in Central Mindanao. The Liguasan Marsh is a strategic economic and agricultural region over which the MILF and government soldiers have fought. The MILF claims the area as part of their ancestral domain and fears that private companies and government agencies will seek to remove rebel units from the marsh in order to extract valuable natural gas and fish resources.

A MILF soldier guides a boat through the shallow waters of the Liguasan Marsh in Central Mindanao, southern Philippines. This massive wetland is a strategic economic and agricultural region over which the MILF and government soldiers have fought. The MILF claims the area as part of their ancestral domain and fears that private companies and government agencies will seek to dislodge rebel units from the marsh in order to extract valuable natural gas and fish resources.

MILF troops navigate the shallow waters of the Liguasan Marsh in Central Mindanao. During the dry season, they can harvest corn and rice in parts of the wetland.

By July, however, heavy rains will fill the entire marsh.

MILF Commander Lapu-Lapu lives on the edge of the Liguasan Marsh in Central Mindanao. He heads up a platoon-size unit of Islamic insurgents who fought government forces in 2003 when they invaded the MILF's Buliok complex. Although the secessionist organization is currently engaged in peace talks with the government, conflict periodically flares up between MILF and government soldiers. The nearby town of Midsayap was the scene of heavy fighting in March 2007.

Members of the MILF attend a lecture about the peace process and fundraising efforts at the organization's political headquarters near Cotabato City, Philippines.

In addition to its well-armed military force, the MILF operates a political arm that is responsible for organizing its civilian communities and educating them about the current peace initiative with the Philippine government.

Ghazali Jaafar, the MILF's vice chairman for political affairs, addresses supporters at a fundraising rally near Cotabato City. Jaafar also explained the status of the peace talks with the Philippine government which are expected to resume in June 2007. Jaafar said a principle stumbling block in securing a final agreement hinges around the question of territory and how self-rule for Mindanao's Muslim community will take shape.