The Persistence of Terrorism: A Case Study of Mindanao
Abstract
This thesis considers why terrorism persists in Mindanao, Philippines, despite the government's many counterterrorism measures. This thesis reviews the historical narratives, socioeconomics, and political challenges of the Moro problem. It finds that terrorism and violence continue for a number of reasons, including but not limited to unresolved grievances such as Islamist ideology. Other grievances include displacement by internal north-to-south migration, relative deprivation, and perceptions of marginalization. Moreover, terrorist groups continue to evolve and adapt to the changing security and political landscape, presenting new challenges to the state. Hence, this thesis also examines the Philippine governments various counterterrorism (CT) strategies and finds some gaps, particularly a lack of centralization and synchronization unifying all CT efforts. This thesis concludes that terrorism continues because of a government response that focuses on security rather than the root causes of the conflict, including socioeconomic and political factors. Thus, this thesis recommends that the Philippine government should not only consolidate CT efforts into a single institutional framework, but also pursue comprehensive and sustainable economic policies and effective governance that actually address the root causes of the persistent conflict in Mindanao.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1150913
Entities
People
- Ray N. De Lima
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School