Sulu Journey- Part 2

On January 4 2012, the Foreign Affairs Minister cum Executive Minister, Datu Habib Sakiral Daie was saying about the visit that:

“I must emphasize that Shaykh Umar Ibrahim Vadillo and company are doing great efforts in helping SSDI restore her sovereignty and independence without creating any trouble with anyone along the way. The sincerity of their efforts can be read even between the lines of what they are saying and doing.”

He continued to express his regrets that some Tausug do wanted the independence, he said:

“Sadly, some of our very own breed of Tausug who have been nurtured under colonial institutions seemed to love to be always a Filipino than to be who really they are and supposed to be. But it’s alright for the moment as there are still more time for them to reconsider and as there are no compulsion in Islam.”

He just put to their will if ever they wanted to have the independence sooner or later and say:

“They have the right to remain as they are, of their own choice, and in like manner, SSDI have the right to choose who should be her "ra'yat" in future. The important thing is the doors are always opened for everyone to come in or get out until such time the law determines otherwise. Lucky and happy would be the faces of those who get benefits out of their own volition, and sadness or sorry would be for them who went the other way. MashaAllah!”

A Kazakh economist, Abdalghany Aoueskhanov has written few years back about the meeting of the Tausug and Shaykh Umar Vadillo:

“I was amazed with these people: they saw and touched gold dinar and silver dirham first time in their lives and yet I saw neither fear nor doubts in their eyes about the possibility of restoring them in Sulu. And these people face machineguns of Filipino soldiers on a daily basis.”

“I was also amazed how they treated Umar Pasha, with total respect and trust, as their own brother, although it was the first time they ever met with him. I felt I was witnessing a scene of some 500 years ago: Muslim warriors from far lands of Dar al-Islam meeting, with open hearts, with love, ready to die for each other; back then they had only one passport - La ilaha ill Allah”

Datu Habib Sakiral Daie wrote in the Facebook wall:

“At the meeting with Sultan Bantilan Muhammad Mu'izzuddin II, I could sense that if there be anyone outside the circle of Tausug affinity who should be given honorary citizenship, Shaykh Umar I. Vadillo, Mohamed Esfih and Mr. Okawa would lead the pack.”

Sultan Bantilan II, Shaykh Umar Vadillo and Mr. Muhammad Esfih. Photo by Asree Sug

“The trio went there only to ask how they could be of help, not for anything to make them great amongst men. And the Sultan couldn't hide his tears of joy for the God-sent emissary of love and development that every Tausug in SSDI have prayed for all these years. For many have the sympathy and desire to help but only them have the guts to make it a reality, Mashaallah!”

Shaykh Umar Vadillo has been telling the people of Nusantara in the muammalah website about the existence of the Tausug and Sulu Darul Islam as independent people and country:

“Sultanate of Sulu was one of the most beautiful and prosperous states in Nusantara from 1405 up until the late 19th century; stretching over Sulu Archipelago (also called Islands of Pearls) and part of Northern Borneo it had splendid culture, extensive trade system and profound Sufi traditions that brought fame to the Sultanate in the entire Muslim world and beyond.”

“The kufar wanted to bring Sulu empire on its knees for a long time: first, Spaniards tried to break Tausug people - ethnic majority of Sulu Sultanate - for more than 300 years, then Americans for nearly 50 years, then Japanese and now Philippines for over 60 years, but all in vain - Tausugs continued to fight.”

“Despite massacres perpetrated by Spanish, American and later Philippine troops, the Tausug people couldn't be christianized or subjugated, they never abandoned their language and religion, indeed the Tausugs defended the Deen with their lives when everybody else surrendered. And they still do.”

Sulu Prime Minister Datu Habib Sattiya Amilahasan, Executive Minister Datu Habib Sakiral Daie with the foreign visitors. Photo by TGM Staff Zamboanga City.

“You don't need United Nations to grant you independence; Allah has already given it to you. Malaysia or Indonesia can't help you to become an independent state because they themselves are not free states; one day you will have to free the Malay World from the oppression of Capitalism and Democracy and you'll have to free Filipinos from their horrendous and corrupt regime and make them Muslims.”

”You have the spirit of success in your genes, it were you and Aceh who fought until the end. Nationalist state under the auspices of the United Nations is not your goal and can't be your goal if you want to win; because if you say ‘nation state' then I am a foreigner in your land but if you say ‘Darul Islam' then I am one of you and your fight is my fight.”