A Comparative Analysis on the Micro-level Genealogies of Conflict in the Philippines' Mindanao Island and Indonesia's Ambon Island

Abstract

Through a comparative micro-level study of conflicts in the Indonesian island of Ambon and the Philippine island of Mindanao, the article will show how the master narrative of a Christian–Muslim cleavage obscures the prominence of localized sub-identities in shaping the escalation of conflict in both places. Whilst in Ambon communal violence erupted between Muslims and Christians from 1999 until 2004, armed conflict on the island of Mindanao is generally understood as a decade-long struggle between Muslim armed groups fighting for autonomy against a Christian-dominated Philippine state. Yet, despite these different types of armed struggle, in both cases, everyday tensions about resource access became incorporated in a complex conflict dynamic. These localized tensions are linked to sub-identities within the general Christian versus Muslim dichotomy, thereby creating alternative fault lines and alliances. In conclusion, this article puts forward a renewed understanding of armed conflict as a dynamic and transformative process, producing new opportunities, alliances, contradictions and narrative frameworks.

Notes

¹ The Laskar Jihad or the Jihad Paramilitary Force was the paramilitary division of the salafist Forum Komunikasi Ahlu Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. It was founded at the beginning of 2000 and gradually disbanded from 2002 onwards. One of its explicit aims was to support Muslims in their battle with Christians in places such as Ambon, see Noordhaidi (2006).

² For an elaborate discussion on mechanisms of elite integration in preventing communal violence in Indonesia, see Tadjoeddin (2004).

³ Remarkably, on the Christian side there were about 17 deaths and 10 wounded, whereas on the Muslim side there were 5 deaths and 41 wounded. These data, therefore, seem to buttress the argument that heavier and more professional weaponry was found on the Muslim side because of the involvement of the Laskar Jihad. The Christians on the other hand had to stick to amateurish weapons such as spears, stones, self-made guns, resulting in a lot of wounded but fewer deaths.