Asking my sisters: Intergenerational voices of women from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mindanao

“I HEARD THE STORY
OF WOMEN”
Violence, oppression, inequality and
deprivation force people and communities
to make difficult decisions in wartime,
triggered by dramatic personal
and collective experiences. What factors
drive women to join the call to arms,
be it as a combatant, a trainer, a nurse,
a cook, or a social activist? The various
responses to this question reveal
interesting intergenerational patterns.
Senior women veterans serving as
BIWAB commanders or trainers shared
their painful memories of collective
discrimination and repression, as well
as their direct experiences of violence,
torture and killings of close family
members. Their peers from the younger
generation were more likely to join the
struggle due to family ties in the movement,
a sense of duty or commitment,
and the desire to promote Jihad.