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ZAMBOANGA CITY (AKI / 25 Aug) The restoration of the ancient Islamic Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo would be the best solution to unrest in the southern Philippines unrest, a local historian told AdnKronos International (AKI).

Professor Emmanuel Mangubat, a member of the Sulu Restoration Movement, argued that a return to monarchial and Islamic tradition is exactly what the conflict-ridden region needs.

"Not even hundreds of peace talks could resolve the peace and order problems in this region. Islamic monarchial system, which is mostly based on the teaching of the Koran is the most suitable system for Muslims", he said, citing Brunei as the best model to be adopted.

The Sultanate of Sulu was a Muslim state that ruled over much of the islands of the Sulu Sea, in the southern Philippines, from its foundation 1457 for more than 400 years. It ended when Mindanao, Palawan, and the islands of the Sulu Sea were colonized by the Spanish, who ruled the Philippines.

When the Philippines was later annexed by the United States in 1898, and only North Borneo went to the British, and became part of Malaysia as Sabah in 1963. Sabah is still contested by Kuala Lumpur and Manila with the latter saying that it has only been leased to Malaysia.Nowadays, most of what used to be part of the Sulu Sultanate falls within the region claimed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a rebel group that has been fighting for indipendece from Manila since 1976.

The MILF and the central goverenment are currenlty locked in peace-talks. The historical argument in favour of reinventing the sultanate is strongly advocated by Mangubat, also author of a two-volume book titled ‘Sulu Sultanate: Its Establishment with Historical, Political and Legal Implications".

“Before the Spanish and American occupations in Philippines, Sulu was already independent with its own Islamic state under the governance of the Sultanate. Its re-establishment, is our historical right” he said.

Mangubat’s view is shared by some Muslims residents in Sulu. Husna Omar, a local trader in Jolo, said the Sultanate form of government would be more suitable for the Muslims in the island.

"This is the way of governance ever since we were Islamized,” he commented with AKI. "An independent sultanate government could unite Muslims because the approach here is also in a way of Islamic teaching,” added Halim Jajurie, a college student in Sulu province.

In any case, at present the controversial plan to rewrite the political map of the area with a Sultanate is further weakened by the infighting among those who all claim to be the legitimate heir to the throne.

Mangubat acknowledged the difficulties and called for unity. "If they managed to unite, independence for the Sultanate would just be a matter of declaration,” he said. "And if the Sultanate finally obtains its independence from the Philippines, then they can claim Sabah, because legally it belongs to the Philippines and Malaysia is only renting for it,” he added.

The Mindanao Examiner reported that a Filipino congressman Hussein Amin (Sulu) who filed a House proposal to divide the five-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said it have gained popular support in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces in the southern Philippines.

"We favor a separate autonomy, or even an independent or a federal Muslim state, and the proposal to divide the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao region into two areas are really gaining popularity in Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and also in Basilan."

"Muslims in those areas want to separate from the ARMM because they do not see development projects; they do not see regional government officials going around and talk to them. And they feel neglected, but with this proposed law, we hope to rebuild and develop our own land," said Ustadz Shariff Julabbi, a prominent Muslim leader in Zamboanga City.

Two other lawmakers, Abdulgani Salapuddin, of Basilan and Hermilando Mandanas, of Batangas, introduced the House Bill 5369.
“The long history of the people of the Sulu archipelago has left an indelible mark in their culture and tradition.

While they share the same religion as the Maranaos, Maguindanaoans and other Muslims in Mindanao, they are a people apart with their own tongues, customs, traditions and ways of thinking," Amin, quoting from the proposed law, told reporters.

He said the House Bill 5369 aims to revive the Sultanate of Sulu as the reason for creating a new autonomous region that would compose Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. The two other provinces under the Muslim autonomous region are Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, and Marawi City, all in central Mindanao.

But Amin said the role of the sultan of Sulu and North Borneo is largely ceremonial, with power in the hands of state leaders. At least 8 people were claiming to be the heir of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, but the most influential is the Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, who is a descendant of Sultan Pulalun, who ruled from 1843 to 1862.

The sultanate was founded in the 1457 and is believed to exist with sovereignty for at least 442 years. It stretched from a part of the island of Mindanao in the east, to North Borneo, now known as Sabah, in the west and south, and to Palawan, in the north.

The Sultanate of Sulu obtained Sabah from the Sultanate of Brunei as a gift for helping put down a rebellion on the Borneo Island.

Mindanao, Palawan, and the islands of the Sulu Sea were colonized by Spain, which ruled the country. The British leased Sabah and transferred control over the territory to Malaysia after the end of Second World War. Even after Borneo became part of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur still pays an annual rent of 5,000 ringgit to the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu.

The ARMM was first created on August 1989 through Republic Act No. 6734 and is headed by a regional governor. Officials have a fix term of three years, but this can be extended by law.

"I don't really see development projects in my province in Sulu even though we are part of the ARMM, except for what the US soldiers built during last month's Balikatan 2006, and that Italian donor (Armando) De Ros(si). We don't like to be part of ARMM anymore, we have suffered too long and it's better to have our own government," Ibrahim Harain, a trader, told the Mindanao Examiner.

Amin said there is a need to change the Constitution to be able to introduce political and economic reforms and to push for a shift to parliamentary or federal form of government.

"We need economic and political reforms and many lawmakers are supporting proposals to amend the present Constitution, and to push for the separation of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan into a separate federal state or become autonomous," he said.

Amin said majority of Sulu's residents favor their own autonomy, and also Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. "This proposed law is based on the aspirations of the people in the three provinces and we are supporting them," he said.

Amin said most of the ARMM infrastructure projects are in Maguindanao province, hometown of the current regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan, a staunch ally of President Gloria Arroyo.

"We see nothing in Sulu, or in Tawi-Tawi and not even in Basilan, but development projects are many in Maguindanao, and these infrastructure should benefit all in the ARMM," he said.

"I favor independence over autonomy, or similar like Malaysia, and definitely out of ARMM. There are no improvements, we cannot feel any improvement at all. We need change for the future of our children," said Fatima Awali, a resident of Basilan.

Based on the 2000 census, Sulu's population was 619,668; Basilan, 259,796 and Tawi-Tawi, 322, 317. While Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao have a population of 800,162 and 801,102 respectively, and Marawi City has 131,090.

Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan are dependent on copra, coconut and rubber, and fishing industry, while Lanao and Maguindanao are mainly agricultural areas. The ARMM is one the poorest region in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)