Islamophobia worse than Marawi crisis

IT'S been a month since the onslaught in Marawi began but how are those who are affected by the crisis holding up?

The city is now in wreckage as it remains a battleground while state forces continue to advance to areas held by alleged joint of Maute Group, Abu Sayyaf, and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom fighters in downtown district.

As a consequence, many inhabitants and other settlers there are forced to leave to seek refuge to nearby places and just hours after the news of war broke out in the area, President Rodrigo Duterte also placed entire Mindanao under the state of Martial Law.

We thought that the worst thing we could hear, aside from the rising number of casualties, damaged properties, and civilian hostages being made as human shields by the Maute group, is that the name of the place has now become synonymous to a war zone and has even become a subject among random jokes where one who is behaving naughtily is being threatened to be thrown into the city and become a battle frontliner. But what is even more appalling is the latest news about the discrimination that the Maranao evacuees are experiencing in some areas where they are currently seeking sh el t er.

Has Islamophobia taken its peak with the ongoing crisis in Marawi?

It is terrible indeed that the victims themselves are becoming the subject of disgust by their fellow Filipinos.

In a report, a number of Maranaos displaced by the month-long fighting in Marawi City have complained of discrimination. After the closest city, which is Iligan, has been fully occupied by other evacuees, others resorted to go to other areas to seek temporary residence while waiting for the war in Marawi to stop only to find out that they'll have a worse battle to face - discriminat i on.

Some house and apartment owners would reportedly shut down their doors for those displaced Maranaos who are just looking for a place to stay, refusing to rent out their properties after learning of their identity. Looking for a place to stay has now become harder for them.

"We hope nawala ang (that there will be no) discrimination. We are just visitors here in your city, and considering what we have been through, we are really looking for a friendly neighborhood now, sana they can extend their friendly gesture," a dentist based in Iligan said in a report.

Islamophobia, in this case, has become a battle within a battle. It has been there even before the Marawi crisis and has continue to haunt innocent people who experienced discrimination just because they belong to a certain race or religion and to say that it is a bad thing is just an under st at ement