IT STARTS WITH A MAP: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY IN THE MORO MUSLIM INSURGENCY

Abstract

The 1970s modern Moro insurgency can trace its roots back centuries to the period of Spanish colonization. The impact of geography as a significant variable throughout the insurgency was consistently undervalued in explaining the conflict. This thesis seeks to answer the question: How did the Philippines’ physical geography contribute to producing and sustaining the Moro insurgency in the Mindanao Island Group? This research identified key geographical themes that have consistently contributed to the insurgency and focused on physical geography as a highly impactful yet often neglected variable: monsoons, littoral maritime highways, and the proximity of Moros land to Malaysia vis-à-vis Manila. As a result, geography is clearly a significant factor in the Moro insurgency. The monsoon winds have consistently contributed to the movement of merchants and foreign powers into and throughout the region. The Moros have used the waterways and physical geography of the waterways to maintain their historical connection to each other and geographically close societies. Recommendations for the Philippine government include controlling external support to the insurgency via countries such as Malaysia. Recommendations that support U.S. diplomacy include maintaining safe maritime trade routes throughout the islands and the greater archipelago. A further U.S. effort includes continuing to equip and train the Filipino military, focusing on maritime counterinsurgency operations.