All That You Have Given Me, Africa

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Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Filipino: Awtonomong Rehiyon sa Muslim Mindanao[2]) (abbreviated ARMM) is an Autonomous region of the Philippines, located in the Mindanao island group of thePhilippines, that is composed of five predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan (except Isabela City),Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. It is the only region that has its own government. The regional capital is at Cotabato City, although this city is outside of its jurisdiction.

The ARMM previously included the province of Shariff Kabunsuan until 16 July 2008, when Shariff Kabunsuan ceased to exist as a province after the Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the "Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 201", which created it, unconstitutional in Sema v. Comelec.[3]

On 7 October 2012, President Benigno Aquino III said that the government aimed to have peace in the autonomous region and that it will become known as Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,[4] a compound ofbangsa (nation) and Moro.[5]

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History[edit]

For the most part of Philippines' history, the region and most of Mindanao have been a separate territory, which enabled it to develop its own culture and identity. The region has been the traditional homeland ofMuslim Filipinos since the 15th century, even before the arrival of the Spanish who began to colonize most of the Philippines in 1565. Muslim missionaries arrived inTawi-Tawi in 1380 and started the conversion of the native population to Islam. In 1457, the Sultanate of Sulu was founded, and not long after that the sultanates ofMaguindanao and Buayan were also established. At the time when most of the Philippines was under Spanish rule, these sultanates maintained their independence and regularly challenged Spanish domination of the Philippines by conducting raids on Spanish coastal towns in the north and...