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Threat of another rido looms in Maguindanao


The massacre that occurred in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009 has been described as election-related. But its roots could be deeper. The Ampatuans and Mangudadatus are both heavily armed clans who have used violence against each other and other families to assert their authority over territory. Clan wars or “blood feuds" have long been woven into the tapestry of life in many parts of the Philippines. In most of Muslim Mindanao, these feuds are called rido, a term that originated from the Maranaos. Traditionally, it is believed that a rido ensues when a person’s kanaman – a personal conviction to uphold and defend the integrity of one’s family by all means – is violated or denied by another party involved. In practical terms, the causes of rido are usually land disputes, election-related disputes, or political rivalries, crimes against women or gender-related offenses, and offenses to honor. Believing that one family member’s rido is everybody else’s rido as well, generations have engaged in an “ubusang lahi" that has resulted in almost 6,000 deaths in Mindanao as of 2004. In a study conducted by The Asia Foundation in 2004, Maguindanao is second only to Lanao del Sur in having the highest number of clan feuds in Mindanao. It also has the second highest number of rido-related casualties. Complicating the feuds is a long-standing secessionist movement in Maguindanao led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which has accounted for more than 100,000 deaths.

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Conflict resolution for rido involves an intermediary – usually an elder, a neutral party, or a formal justice system – who settles the dispute between the warring families. Some rido conflicts become latent or naturally get settled over time, but most are carried on for generations. More than half of rido cases in Mindanao remain unresolved.
In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Wilfredo M. Torres III, a program officer of The Asia Foundation who has co-authored articles on conflict resolution in Mindanao, said that the incidence of rido in the region rises particularly during election season when even blood relatives oppose each other in vying for public office. He also said that local government officials and even the military provide limited support in the prevention or resolution of such conflicts. “Military forces like the marines or the army act as referees in these, but since they are transient forces and (are) not trained in conflict management, they are seldom successful. Sometimes, the warring clans only claim to resolve their conflict because they are afraid of the military. But once these forces leave, the peace is not sustainable," Torres said. He also said that there are many factors that contribute to why the culture of rido remains in Mindanao. “Since weak ang institutions ng government in areas like that, locals are resorting to self-help. Ang law enforcement at judiciary halos wala doon. Anong aasahan ng tao kundi sarili nila… so they arm themselves," he said. He also points to the dynamics between national and local politics as a contributing factor to the predominance of feuds as a means of addressing conflicts. He says that the oligarchic elites at the national level benefit from the status quo. They take advantage of the conflicts to obtain much-needed votes during election time and to remain in power. In effect, they seek the support of the ruling clan at the local level to maintain their positions while exchanging this for support or favors for the ruling family. Torres guesses that this may be one of the ways a clan like the Ampatuans are able to fortify their hold and influence in Maguindanao, enough to dissuade potential rivals to defy their authority. Until the challenge came from Toto Mangudadatu, who sent his wife and sisters into the lions’ den with lawyers and journalists. Historically though, the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus were not rival clans. According to Rashid Langcap, regional coordinator of the Mindanao Initiative for Peace (MinPEACE) Southern Mindanao region, the two families were political allies in the last two elections of 2004 and 2007. Their rivalry only began when the Mangudadatus expressed their intention to run against Andal Ampatuan Jr. for next year’s gubernatorial elections. “Sila lang kasi ang may kakayahang labanan ang mga Ampatuan (sa pulitika) kaya siguro nagka-interes sila," Lacap said. The massacre is the bloody trigger for another rido. “Rido na yan. Nagkamatayan na eh. Pero kakaibang rido (yan) dahil kung baga isang makapangyarihang clan ang kinakalaban ng umuusbong na clan, (at) kasama (nila sa laban) ang (mga) moro at kristiyano (na napatay)," Lacap added. When asked whether he thinks Mangudadatu will honor his promise to uphold the rule of law, Lacap said, “As a candidate, pwede maasahan yan. Pero kung walang hustisya, hindi tayo pwedeng makaasa." - HGS, GMANews.TV
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