There is more to the peace problem in Mindanao than meets the eye. It is beyond tribal prejudices or racial discrimination. It is beyond government conspiracies and hidden agendas. It is beyond the manipulations of rich and powerful but overzealous megalomaniacs. It is beyond poverty or the economic inequities experienced today by the people of this country. But one does not need to look far to find the cause, as well as the solution to this long standing dilemma. All we have to do is look within each one of us to find the answer.

"What does it take to change the essence of a man in the eyes of another?" That question has remained unanswered and unresolved even among the people of the U.S.. For until now, the North American Indians - the true owners of American soil - remain underprivileged, underrepresented and unfairly treated. And until now, the African-Americans - the race stolen from Africa and brought to America - are still waging the fight against racial prejudice and human rights abuses from the so-called supreme Arian race. But, as compared to the Tri-People of the Philippines, the Tri-People of America have made great strides in addressing their "peace problem"

Issue-wise, the Philippine peace problem is barely different from that of the U.S. But race-wise, we are completely unlike them. Whereas, theirs is between white, red and black, ours is between brown, brown, and brown! Despite the fact that the great institution that is the U.S. government is generally considered as the most deceitful, the most manipulative, and the most unscrupulous entity in the world, the people of the U.S. chose to veer away from the orientation and influence of their government and empowered themselves. As a result, the interactions, level of tolerance, and state of peaceful coexistence between the white, red and black races of that land are in a far better condition than that of the brown, brown and brown "races" in the Philippines. Why? Again, the answer lies within each one of us.

The Americans, for all their decadence, have on an individual basis - whether white, black or red - chosen to overcome their ignorance of one another. Awareness campaigns were initiated by these individuals; groups were formed to sustain such campaigns. The struggle for genuine peaceful coexistence has not yet been won, mind you, but the American people are definitely far and away ahead of the Indio, the Moro and the Lumad in that struggle. They have realized that wars - like the American Civil War - or secession - like Pakistan and Bangladesh from India - aren't actually the best answers towards stopping bloodshed, terrorism, or attaining lasting peace. Just read their histories and you'll know why. Despite the difference between skin colors, the American Tri-People have striven to eventually become practically one people. Sad to say, that is not the case with the Tri-People of the Philippines - the Christian majority, the Moro people, and the Indigenous people.

The fact is, the Bangsa Moro people are actually Islamized indigenous people, while the Christian majority are Christianized indigenous people! Most probably, before the Arab traders came, Raja Sulaiman's ancestors worshipped Bathala. In the same manner, Gat Jose Rizal's ancestors were most probably Muslims and believed in Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) when the Spaniards - and later the Americans - came and spread Christianity in these islands. In reality, we are but one race, one color, one blood. But in spite of this oneness, the citizens of this country allow themselves to look with a jaundiced eye at their own blood brother.

There are many causes we can put the blame on, like the influence of politics and power movers and the conspiracy theories ascribed to them to "wipe out Islam and other non-Christian faiths in the land", the allegedly decrepit status of our educational system in the barrios, the rumored puppet status of the Philippine government to the U.S. government, or the never ending poverty problem. That is, if it is our wish to place the blame on everything else except ourselves, just pick and choose, or even create more excuses. Be my guest.

To be candid about it, in my opinion, the Filipino people are so "superior-oriented" that we always look to our parents, bosses, teachers, barangay captains, mayors, governors, congressmen, senators, even presidents as our models on how to treat each other. If they discriminate the minority, whether deliberately or indirectly, we readily follow suit and copy them. Such a trait is indigenous to Malayo-Polynesians like the Tri-People of the Philippines.

Because of their religion or tribal affiliation, we deprive the minority of equal job and promotional opportunities (i.e. the military, the corporate world, etc.), deprive them of their ancestral lands, judge them unworthy as sons-in-law, neighbors, bosses, employees, co-workers, friends, etc.. If that is the case, then we have nothing to blame but ourselves.

Ignorance breeds prejudice. Prejudice breeds distrust. Distrust breeds Aggression. Aggression breeds violence. Violence breeds war. Therefore, we can stop war by overcoming ignorance.

Let the awareness campaign begin within each one of us. See the Moro and Indigenous people as our brothers. Let true national identity begin now. Let us live as one people. Let us live in peace. To rephrase the immortal words of the great Martin Luther King, "I have a dream, that my ... children will someday live in a nation where they will be judged not according to ... (their religion or tribe) but by the content of their character."