From September 9 -17, 2003, Dr. Radwan Masmoudi (CSID President) and Dr. Louay Safi (CSID Director of Research) traveled to the Philippines on a lecture tour that was organized by the Philippines Council on Islam and Democracy (CID). CID, a newly established organization headed by Aminah Rasoul with a mission similar to that of CSID, organized a series of lectures and meetings with Muslim leaders and members of the religious leaders (ulama) in Manila and three other cities in Mindanao. The visit aimed at engaging Muslim leaders in discussions on issues relating to Islam and democracy, and to the efforts of Philippines Muslims (Morobangsa) to gain more political control over their affairs in Mindanao.
Masmoudi and Safi met with Muslim leaders and scholars, as well as with concerned parties and groups, both in Manila and Mindanao. The Mindanao trip included visits to Marawi City, Cotabato City, and Zanboanga. They spent the first two days in Manila, where they spoke at the Institute of Islamic studies at the University of the Philippines and addressed a mixed audience of Muslim and non-Muslim leaders at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).
In Mindanao, they spoke to the leaders of the Muslim community in Marawi City during a gathering hosted by the City mayor. They also spoke at a gathering of academics and students at the Mindanao State University (MSU). Dr. Louay Safi gave the Friday sermon (Khutbah) at a city mosque, which was attended by the city mayor and other community leaders. Following the Khutbah, they both engaged more than two hundred Muslim leaders (both men and women) in a dialogue on Islam and democracy. The discussions evolved around the issues of the compatibility of Islam and democracy, the need to embrace peaceful political action to empower Muslims, and the importance of opposing actions and strategies that run against basic Islamic values, including violence against civilians, kidnappings, and hostage taking.
Participants espoused a variety of views ranging from the traditionalist and conservative to the progressive and liberal. Despite the great diversity of views, discussions were courteous and friendly. Exchanges were frank and open, and occasionally spirited, but at all time courteous and engaging.
Among the main concerns expressed by Philippine Muslim leaders and participants:
- Economic opportunities and lack of sufficient investment in Muslim areas in the Philippines;
- The failure of successive governments to deliver on earlier promises and agreements to the Muslim areas;
- The limited budget appropriated by the central government to Muslim areas.
In Cotobato City, Safi and Dr. Masmoudi addressed a meeting of Muslim businessmen and community leaders. The meeting was hosted by the city mayor, and was attended by around 150 men and women. They also addressed a mixed audience of about 150 students, faculty members, and community leaders, both Christian and Muslim, at the Notre Dame University.
The visit to Cotobato City was concluded with a meeting attended by the ulama, who insisted on conducting the discussion in Arabic. The ulama espoused various positions regarding democratic rule, including criticism of the democratic process. Interestingly, though, critiques of democracy in the Philippines focused more on the deteriorating conditions of Muslims under the successive democratic governments that came to power since Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown in 1986 than democracy per se.
In Zamboanga, Safi and Masmoudi spoke to a small group (40) of Muslim business people and community leaders invited by Senator Rasoul, and also addressed a large audience of more than one thousand academicians and students at the Southwest University of Mindanao. Our visit also included a brief meeting with the city mayor and a visit to the Magbassa Kita Foundation.
