The Philippines’ southern insurgency

Abstract

An end may be in sight to the Moro insurgency in the southern Philippines, which has pitted Muslim separatist groups in Mindanao and Sulu against the central government in Manila. Since last year, a military stalemate and other factors have encouraged concessions on both sides that may facilitate a settlement. That would help slow or even reverse the Philippines’ slide towards ungovernability and reduce the danger of the South becoming a sanctuary for internationally-connected terrorist groups. But important obstacles remain, and even if a settlement proved possible its durability would not be assured.