Imagine that, more Muslims getting their religion of choice all wrong. A letter threatens Filipino Bishop with death if he refuses to pay Islamic taxes “Jizya” or convert to Islam. Catholic Explorer: Bishop Martin Jumoad of Isabela also told the Asian church news agency UCA News that he got text messages from Catholics saying they, too, had received threatening letters.
Bishop Jumoad said a student of Claret College in Isabela, the capital of Basilan province, was told to give the school secretary the letter to pass to the bishop. The bishop sent a copy of the letter July 19 to church-run Radio Veritas in Quezon City, northeast of Manila. The letter had the names “Puruji Indama” and “Nur Hassan J. Kallitut” printed at the bottom and “mujahedin” under each name. The purported senders introduced themselves as “Muslim warriors” who “don’t follow any laws other than the Quran,” Islam’s holy book.
They said Bishop Jumoad should choose to convert to Islam or give “jizya,” Islamic tax, to their group in exchange for protecting him in the “place of Muslims.” If he refuses to convert or pay, the letter threatened “force, weapons or war may be used” against him. It warned him not to feel safe even if he is “surrounded by soldiers” and cited bombings in various cities.
Bishop Jumoad was given 15 days to respond, with two mobile phone numbers to contact. “If we do not receive response from you, it means you will oppose,” the letter added. A document written in the local dialect on the letterhead of “Al-Harakatul Islamiyya” accompanied the letter. The bishop said he did not recognize the names, but has encountered the phrase “Al-Harakatul” in kidnapping incidents in Basilan involving Abu Sayyaf, a guerrilla group named as a terrorist organization by various countries.”
This is the same Bishop who had earlier criticized the Philippine military’s ongoing offensive against Abu Sayyaf in the Southern Philippines, saying that:
“peace negotiations are still a better alternative. Basilan Catholic Bishop Martin Jumoad said that the deaths of 15 marines and 40 rebels in the battle to take an Abu Sayyaf stronghold in the remote Basilan town of Ungkaya Pukan were a waste of life and that the bloodbath should come to an end.”
That’s the problem or dilemma facing any peaceful society when combating an enemy whose main goal is the total destruction of the way of life of the other. Israel faces the same mindset, whether it be Hamas, Fattah or Hezbollah.
If you think that’s not the case, you would think that these representatives of the ROP would scoop up the chance to engage in peaceful negotiations since they are the message bearers from the “religion of peace”. Looks like the Bishop’s message of peace fell on deaf ears. Now the Bishop has to watch his back, or of course convert to Islam with his entire flock in tow. Dhimmi Watch has more.*L* KGS
NOTE: The modern day symbiosis between Christianity and Islam of the former promoting the turning of the cheeck, while the latter waits in eager expectation is a reason why the Middle East is being drained of its Christian populations.
EDITORIAL NOTE:
There will be a brief pause in the posting.
24-26.07.08
It should be mentioned that Christians on Basilan, as further southwest in Jolo, are there purely because the Manila governments have always favoured giving land leases and land grants to well-connected Visayanos and Luzonenyos.
The Yakans of Basilan have suffered more from Christian colonization than the Tausug of Jolo – probably because there is more to grab. The northern half of the island is almost entirely settlers from Christian areas, and well-connected illustrados with friends in high places (and these own plantations – copra, mostly). Jolo, on the other hand, is scrub-mountain, and not very fertile.
Once you get further southwest from Jolo, the take is mostly fish and smuggled goods. The Philippine Constabulary and the navy both compete to see who can rob more smugglers (i.e. fishermen), and tend towards extreme brutality. I now know that a corpse with half its head shot off floats neither face up nor face down, but canted to the side, with one shoulder below the water.
It was probably a Samal. The Tausug usually bribe better, and have faster craft. Plus relatives in Sabah who could make trouble.
I mnetion all of this for context, of course, not as an excuse. The context of the formerly majority Muslim areas of the Philippines is one of colonialist exploitation – first by the Christianizing Spaniards, then by the “liberating” Americans, and currently by the northerners, who have at times been more brutal and more blatant in their surpression of what they consider savages.
One need only mention Ilaga to understand that last. The Ilaga were deathsquads created by the Christian factory owners and landlords, with the help of the northern politicians and the army, to terrorize the Muslim peasants off the land. Most particularly in Cota Bato, Sultan Kudarat, and surrounding provinces. They were notorious for taking the eyeballs of their victims. Men they would kill, women and young girls rape and leave alive. But always, taking the eyeballs.
The Philippine military assault on Jolo City in 1974 was unmerciful. Civilians who did not flee were slaughtered. It was naturally described as a great victory.
One can understand that the actual natives of the south, who coincidentally happen to be Muslim, are neither overly fond of Christians, nor of their fellow countrymen.
One could also ask why there is a bishop in a place where none of the actual natives are Christian – but all of the transmigrants are. Who are brutal to boot, evincing no concern, nor respect, for either the place or the people whom they have displaced.
warriors!!!! yeah right! these hypocrites cannot even claim to be muslim. they only target the innocent and unarmed! Allah hates them!