Inclusive Peace in Muslim Mindanao

This paper argues that at the core of the problem of persistent violence in Mindanao is the exclusionary political economy that is developed and sustained through a complex system of contest and violence. “Rebellion-related” violence relating to the vertical armed challenges against the infrastructure of the state combines with “inter- or intra-clan and group violence” relating to horizontal armed challenges between and among families, clans, and tribes. These two types of conflict interact in ways that are poorly understood and which sustain conditions serving the interests of those with access to economic and political power at the expense of the majority of those in Mindanao. The publication informs a dialogue process now underway in Mindanao exploring the key issues raised through the research.