DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND PURPOSES- Addressed to the Congress of the United States of America

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND PURPOSES
Addressed to the Congress of the United States of America
Zamboanga, P.I.
February 1, 1924

(Ref.: Salah Jubair, “Bangsamoro: A Nation Under Endless Tyranny,”3rd Edition, October 1999, pp 298-303).

Whereas a group of politicians, leading blindly certain elements of the population who have a faith and culture different from our own, as well as widely different political aspirations, have raised a clamor and outcry against the continuation of American sovereignty in the Philippine Islands, thereby jeopardizing our hope of prosperity, liberty, and economic security, through the possibility that the Congress of the United states of America might in opportunely withdraw it sovereignty from these Islands, permitting thereby to be created an independent government under which the Mohammedan or Moro Nation would be destroyed or placed under galling yoke, we, the following representatives of the Moro Nation, do, in the same Creator, worshipped by Christian and Mohammedan alike, set forth the following solemn declaration our rights, principles and intention for which we pledge our lives and fortunes:

Assuming that in the course of time the United States of America will grant complete independence, or a larger measure to the Philippine islands, and due to the fact that insecurity of political tenure of the United states and the threat of political domination of our people by the Christian Filipino majority in the islands of Luzon and Visayas is holding back the economic development of our country, and causing no little unrest and unhappiness to our people, we hereby submit the following suggestion for the solution of our present difficulties to the consideration of the Congress of the United States of America.

First. We are not seeking temporary or palliative measures. We ask for a solution which will be permanent and lasting in its effect. Therefore, we propose that the Islands of Mindanao and Sulu, and the Island of Palawan be made and unorganized territory of the United States of America.

In order that we may be fair to the Filipinos and in order that they may not arise on outcry to the effect that we wish to dismember the Philippine islands, we proposed that 50 years after independence may have been granted the rest of the Philippine Islands, a plebiscite be held in the proposed territory will be incorporated in the government of the Islands of Luzon and Visayas, remain a territory, or become independent.

This would apply the principles of justice and equity to all elements of the population and imply a government through the consent of the governed.

Second. That a simple form of government be designed for the new territory, taking into consideration that through lack of education in English or Spanish our people can not hope to exercise suffrage for at least two generations, an with the following objects in view:

(1) Justice and equity for Christian, Mohammedan, pagan, and foreigners alike. In order to attain this we must have Americans in high places to act as referees between our tribal and religious demarcations.

(2) No dominations of one element over another.

(3) Freedom of speech and religion.

(4) Every opportunity for American capital to develop the natural resources of our country, thereby affording our people the opportunity to progress in the arts and sciences and in agriculture, as well as to use the lessons of the schoolroom after leaving school. At present, there is no outlet for the talents and energies of our youths, owing to the economic prostration of our country.

(5) That the school system be reformed under American teachers and made suitable to the needs and prejudices of the Mohammedan population.

Whereas we enjoy none of the above benefits in their fullest measure, and

Whereas we do not even enjoy the right of petition and redress of wrongs which the Constitutions of the United States insures to its citizens, owing to the fact that we have addressed petitions without number to the Governor General even when he has been disposed to grant our desires he has found himself helpless to aid us, owing to the provisions of organic act known as the Jones Law:

Therefore we, in representation of nearly half a million Mohammedan residents of Mindanao and Sulu, do solemnly affirm and declare-

That we are loyal unto death to the United States.

That in proof of this loyalty we have pledge ourselves by the most solemn oath known to Mohammedans, to die rather than submit to domination by Christian Filipinos from the north, and, if necessary, to die in order that the United States Congress, which therefore has lent a deaf ear to our petitions, may now hear us.

That in the event that to the United States grants independence to the Philippine Islands without provision for our retention under the American flag, it is our firm intention and resolve to declare ourselves an independent constitutional sultanate to be known to the world as the Moro Nation. It is the duty of the Congress of the United States to make provision at once for the security and protection promised to us when we surrendered our arms to the United States Army. This promise is just as sacred as any alleged promises you may have made to the Christian Filipinos. You have left us defenseless, and it is your duty to protect us to return to us our weapons you took from us which we freely gave you, relying on your promises.

That while it is not our desire to do so, by disregarding our rights and wishes while at the same time conceding political and economic favors to the Christian Filipinos, favors which are in turn used against us, you are forcing us surely and steadily to recourse to desperate and bloody measures, which are abhorrent to us, in view of our loyalty to the American Flag, our Governor General, and our gratitude to the United States for the liberty and security of life which we enjoyed until you delegate your power and authority to the Christian Filipinos.

We complain that we have not one representative in the Philippine legislative elected by direct vote of the people. Our meager representation is through representatives appointed by the Governor General, who must have the approval of a Senate controlled by Filipinos. Hence such representation is a farce.

We complain that the Philippine Legislature appropriates 1,000,000 pesos per annum for pro-independence propaganda, thereby forcing us to contribute through taxation without representation to the efforts of certain Christian Filipinos to severe the bonds between us and the United States, all of which is not in accordance with our wishes.

We complain that when our people, including women and children, have been shot down by the constabulary or otherwise maltreated investigations have been conducted in such manner as to gloss over the truth.

We complain that in spite of the large volume of evidence of misgovernment of our people presented to the Wood-Forbes Commission and subsequently to the Governor General, nothing whatever has been done to assure our people that reforms meeting without approval would be undertaken, for the reason that the power to institute reforms lies in yourselves and not in the Governor General, the hands of the latter being tied by the provisions of the Jones law.
Among the Signatories:

1. Sultan Mangigin of Maguindanao
2. Hadji Panglima Nuño
3. Datu Sacaluran
4. Maharaja Habing
5. Datu Abdula Piang
6. Datu Benito of Lanao