Monday, July 11, 2011

Burning of Jolo (pagsud sin tianggi)

I don’t know the exact term to be applied to the burning of Jolo City in Sulu. It is known to the Tausug as "pagsud sin tiyanggi" which literally mean "Raiding Jolo City". Tiyanggi does mean market; Jolo is its equivalent in the Tausug understanding because Jolo or Suba’ Bawang was a market center since 11century until today. Who raided Jolo, the question may arise?

Jolo City proper was burned down to ashes and bodies of Tausug Shahid were piling over the streets. The cadavers of the Philippine soldiers were also there - after all they were both victims by the savagery of conspirators. The Tausug MNLF Mujahidin were outnumbered by the Philippine forces.

The still remaining tough infrastructure that was standing was the Jolo Central Mosque known as Masjid Tulay. This was built in 1884 by cleaning the sands to be used - so it was properly built through Islamic rituals.

The Jolo City was controlled by the Tausug MNLF Mujahidin in 3 days, driving the Philippine soldiers out from the vicinity - does it mean that soldiers of the Philippines comes first occupying the city?

Revealed by the Jolo Brigade Commander that it was fifteen minutes more to defend; Philippine forces might have surrendered the Military Brigade in Jolo to the Tausug MNLF Mujahidin.

MNLF reinforcement was from Bus-Bus area headed by Mass Leader Hadji Asmara Paradji. They were in the Jolo Municipal Hall and around Bus-Bus Ice Plant.

Mass Leader Salip Agnan Akarab, Salip Elmi, Abduhajan Imam Sapie along with Apu’ Tuan Abduhadi Hatib Hasan were defending around Asturias area, they were the forces from Bud Agahun while forces of Commander Yusop Jikiri from Pasil were defending Tanjung , Alat, Tulay and mosque areas. MNLF Forces driven out the Philippine soldiers that were stationed in Umbul Duwa (Kilo Meter 2).

Apu’ Tuan Abduhadi fell near Asturias Bridge and Mass Leader Ibba from Parang fell near Sulu Hospital and Tigbau. Their fallen martyred bodies were not rescued.

My father's team was around Jolo boundaries to secure and held the reinforcement forces from the Philippine soldiers to enter into the city, they were in Bud Puti’ over Tagbak. My father accounted to me to understand the raiding of Jolo, where the mujahidin fell in the defence of the country, faith and people – saying that “without this effort in the name of God, the Tausug might be found only in its name today”.

The famous ever written in the pages of history, a statement that were scribed by Talib in Notre Dame of Jolo College wall building. He was using his comrade's blood, the Shahid that runs this way, "in kami parang sabil nagbawbug sin hula', bangsa iban agama (we took oath to defend our country, people and faith".

Sad to say the wall were this statement was scribed had already gone - it was through the renovation of the wall. According to some stories, this statement, even it would get painted, it would still embossed out to the surface. It then was covered by cloth - it would still appear. This was the witness of event in the era of perpetrations to the Tausug and their homeland.

Ibnu from Makupa, Pasil entered the Jolo City with his only weapon, Barung – many Philippine soldiers fell in his Barung. Commander Saral Jahandal was wounded in his leg and was taken alive by his comrade Mass Leader Apa’ Muksan known as Bululu’. Around Tigbau many dead bodies were found and decaying and got strong unpleasant smells that were hard to get near off.

In this incident, Jolo Mayor Barli Abubakar was accused of extending assistance to the Tausug MNLF Mujahidin – where his son Nijam Abubakar was also involved in the forces.

The defence to Jolo City was ordered by Commander Biansuy Lim, Chairman for Lupah Sug Revolutionary Command. He was among the Batch 90” that were trained in Libya with MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari.

The defence was to against the propaganda of the Philippine government to recruit the masses of joining Amnesty program by Ferdinand E. Marcos known as Bagong Lipunan.

This defence also was triggered by the masses in Jolo that MNLF is an inutile forces that cannot defend the civilians or the masses, saying “bukul pa in taynga ku sin pagsud sin tiyanggi yan”, this saying was roughly mean “I was only a child when I heard that defending the Jolo City. If not of this defence the masses were all have joined the Bagong Lipunan.

Estimated around 28 thousand Philippine soldiers were entering Jolo that time to combat MNLF Mujahidin. If the MNLF Mujahidin in Patikul were not outnumbered by Philippine forces and got a little supply of arms and bullets, the Philippine forces might not stay alive and can never enter Jolo for reinforcement.

Still the MNLF Mujahidin could stand their side to defend the masses because of their integrity and pledged to God that they will never go home without winning their homeland to get free from the savagery of the Philippine Government.

Their courageousness comes from their pledge to Islam segregating their selves from shame to become “dayyus”. A dayyus cannot be accepted in the hereafter if they failed to defend the sanctity of their faith, country and people.

I am not here to blame who were the bad guys and good guys, the fact that Tausug defended their homeland; it was the fault of the Philippine government not to get out from the Sulu unconquered territory. It is not also to let the Tausug reminisce the hatred towards the Philippine government but to mourn the fallen and martyred Mujahidin that were defended this territory for over 3 decades now.

Let this be the healing process of hatred to put peace at large - we cannot find peace ever more without compromising to it. Since the Tausug had been the administrator of this country - let them govern their own.

Philippine shall leave Sulu in the name of peace, justice and humanitarian considerations. There can never be a solution to this angst without leaving this country to run their own.

If the Filipinos asserted their independence from America and wanted to live peacefully and happily, they should have understood and felt how Tausug longed for their country's independence - justice may compel.

Now that there are people who are doing the right thing to put compromise over the independence of Sulu, so please hear them - so that there are no more war and distrust and social destructions among people living here. Many lives had been wasted - nothing from this could bring positive outcome to the end!

It’s been 36 years since the burning of Jolo that was occurred in 7 February 1974 and since February is the month of love for those who believe or to be exact for the date, the February 14, let hear the whispers of the Tausug to let Sulu independence ring in their heart once in for all!


see original post from Neldy Jolo via facebook