The sixth anniversary of the Battle of Marawi - A (longish) thread overview of stories, analysis, and imagery.
“It was necessary to destroy the city to save it”.
I heard this sentence yesterday at an event on the challenges of Marawi rehabilitation.
A paradox, yes. But it is not easy looking at the conflict that engulfed the city almost six years ago.
rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/1…
The battle killed and injured more than a thousand Filipinos, displaced hundreds of thousands and left a scar on this part of Mindanao that remains hard to heal.
mindanews.com/photo-of-the-d…
The conflict was covered by many brave and fearless Filipino journalists. A standout was the awarded documentary “’Di Ka Pasisiil” by @jeffcanoy and @chiarazambrano
@rapplerdotcom also did a feature:
One of the first and extensive written features was from @TheAtlantic written by journalist Ana Santos.
theatlantic.com/international/…
We @CrisisGroup wrote a short piece one year after the conflict:
crisisgroup.org/asia/south-eas…
A very interesting and historically (and sociologically) anchored paper authored by Mindanao historian Patricio Abinales provided crucial context to the conflict:
waseda.jp/fire/gsaps/ass…
In 2019, two years after the siege, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region was born.
Our report looked at the landscape of militancy post-Marawi between war and autonomy:
crisisgroup.org/asia/south-eas…
We tried to provide local snapshots as well, for instance from the perspective of an affected village:
crisisgroup.org/asia/south-eas…
“People break down in front of me. You have to deal with it. You sit there and feel sorry. You can only do so much. I’m not Superwoman who can solve all your problems. Sometimes the best thing I can do is listen”.
The combat had also lessons for military tactics and urban warfare.
A highly insightful presentation by retired General Danilo Pamonag at the Modern War Institute can be found here:
A report from @ASPI also looked at specific features of the battle: aspi.org.au/report/marawi-…
@drjchernov wrote a fascinating paper on the interplay of motives in recruitment of the militants that joined the coalition that attacked Marawi:
ctc.westpoint.edu/relatives-rede…
Meanwhile, my former colleague Katrina Auditor looked at the rehabilitation challenges that came up even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.
thediplomat.com/2020/12/marawi…
@icafernandez had a deep and comprehensive look on the first years of rehabilitation in this detailed and locally-oriented study:
incitegov.org.ph/includes/publi…
Marawi featured also directly and indirectly in this @ChannelNewsAsia documentary (featuring several Bangsamoro watchers and experts):
channelnewsasia.com/watch/insight-…
A key question for us @CrisisGroup has always been to what extent the potential for a resurgence of militancy in Lanao (and other parts of Bangsamoro) is real.
These reflections resulted in a report looking at the various armed groups outside the peace process:
crisisgroup.org/asia/south-eas…
The conflict has also led to two important books by two Filipino writers who tackled the battle, its prelude and the aftermath.
I wrote a book review in @NewLinesMagazine.
newlinesmag.com/review/the-fal…
What is now left, six years after the first shots were fired?
Certainly, the Philippine government delivered on some of its promises.
But much remains to be done. Tens of thousands of people are still waiting to return.
thenewhumanitarian.org/video/2023/03/…
A good step is the creation of the Marawi compensation board that will process claims of war victims:
The guidelines are to be signed today.news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/05/2…
But @TirmizyAbdullah asks this question:
“Six years after the siege, our question remains: when will the residents of Marawi be allowed to come home? Only then can we truly rebuild our lives.”
rappler.com/voices/thought…
And @dahlia_cs and Raihan A. Yusoph say:
"And for peacebuilding to take root, the spaces where conflict happened must be transformed into places of peace, justice, and reconciliation for the people who live in and give meaning to them."
ENDnewmandala.org/the-places-tha…
PS: Adding some other pieces that I forgot last time+very recent writing on the occasion of the anniversary.
Starting with a report by Amnesty International about the conduct of warfare in Marawi based on interviews:
amnesty.org/en/documents/a…
A short documentary - almost a year after the siege - by @CarstenStormer that features a former militant, an MILF commander and the widow of an insurgent.
A podcast examining the urban battle landscape in Marawi featuring @SpencerGuard and @ChasAHKnight.
mwi.usma.edu/the-battle-of-…
A very important report from @PCIJdotOrg that examined initial allocation of contracts for the Marawi rehab:
pcij.org/article/9869/f…
A piece looking at civil society from Marawi and Lanao del Sur asking for accountability and information:
rappler.com/nation/mindana…
An Op-Ed by @leecandelaria looking into the heart of the Meranaw trading community that gave the city a chunk of its identity:
rappler.com/voices/thought…
And lastly, a very moving piece and profile of a Meranaw woman whose house was at the heart of where the battle started.
"Lahat ng klase ng putok ay narinig na namin." (We heard all kinds of gunshots)”
mindanews.com/top-stories/20…
"...but many of their relatives in other areas are still in different towns nearby since their barangays have yet to be fully rebuilt as promised by the previous administration under former President Rodrigo R. Duterte."
bworldonline.com/the-nation/202…
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