In the Philippines, progress was made on the Moro minority. Under a peace deal signed in 1996, the central government in Manila has given them autonomy in the south, where the majority of them live. Local elections in August 2005 were uncharacteristically peaceful, and a new Muslim governor was elected, suggesting that prospects for peace are good in the short term.

However, sections of the Moro community have refused to go along with the peace plan, preferring to fight for an independent Islamic Moro state. The largest group that has rejected the peace plan is the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Nevertheless, the MILF is holding talks with Manila hosted by the Malaysian government. The truce between the MILF and Manila appears to be holding, with Malaysian officials acting as cease-fire monitors.

There are ongoing military operations against Muslim groups in the south, and some of these encounters have caused civilian casualties. In February 2005, more than 50 civilians were killed on the island of Jolo, when the army clashed with a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). More than 12,000 people were displaced.

The Moro problem is a long-term one which requires a long-term solution to grievances that have accumulated over generations. The Moros are Muslims in Catholic-majority Philippines, making this problem hard to resolve. Manila has granted autonomy and will not go further, fearing that this may lead to a breakaway state. Manila must address the economic disadvantage of the region if it wants to strengthen the peace process.

Recent years have also seen advances with regard to the land rights of indigenous peoples in the Philippines. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act 1997 recognised indigenous peoples' native title to land, and rights of self-determination and free exercise of culture. It offered an option of applying for a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title. The National Commission on Indigenous People announced that, as of July 2003, 11 such certificates had been awarded covering 367,000 hectares. About 76,000 people are direct beneficiaries of the certificates, constituting less than one per cent of the indigenous population of the Philippines. The implementation of the Act has been slow and difficult, partly on account of persistent discrimination on the part of the authorities.

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