*Note: the first page of this entry is missing
May 29th & 30th
Malacañan Palace
Manila
In the May 28th issue of the Newsweek, Washington Editor and Publisher of Indonesia Raya western Mindanao and Sulu fighting in the article, the generally balanced and [illegible] coments certain [illegible]:
- He writes “Some time ago, Manila came to suspect strongly that Sabah was giving the Muslim rebels in Sulu both arms and training. At one time, in fact, it looked as if Manila were ready to denounce Kuala Lumpur publicly for helping the rebels. Ultimately, however, caution prevailed in Manila — to the extent that recently Philippine Foreign Minister Carlos Romulo effectively cleared Kuala Lumpur of any involvement.
We did not expect [illegible] aid for the Muslim rebels. We had evidence of it of statements of captured rebels, infiltration agents and pictures of training camps and captured arms.
Romulo never made such a statement.
2. He also writes, “In this connection, it is most unfortunate that Marcos has had to resort to arming Phlippine Christians in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and has thrown them into battle alongside the Philippine Army. This inevitably increases Muslim fears of a complete Christian domination. One can only hope Marcos will see the futility of the continued use of force and will try to restore peace in the region through negotiations.
There are no Christians in the Self-Defense Units fighting the Muslim rebels in the Sulu Archipelago. All the volunteers are Muslims.
In Mindanao the Self-Defense Units are Muslim and Christian.
The article shows ignorance of the efforts for negotiations to end the fighting. Before we fought back, we asked to negotiate. The Muslim rebels refused. We had to fight to bring them to the negotiating table.
The article is patronizing and [illegible] ignorant of the development plans for the Muslims and their provinces.
