The Philippine military has gained an upper hand over militants fighting for an Islamic homeland in the country's south.
菲律宾政府军在和该国南部寻求建立伊斯兰国家的激进分子的战斗中取得上风。
While not a definitive victory over the insurgents and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, MILF, the Philippine military's latest offensive has destroyed more than six bases and killed more than 100 rebels over recent weeks.
虽然这算不上对反叛力量和摩罗伊斯兰自由阵线的决定性胜利，但是菲律宾政府军在最新发动的攻势中攻陷至少6个据点，击毙100多名反叛分子。
The military says this has ruined the MILF's capacity to make strategic strikes and limits its ability to provide a safe haven for regional terrorists. It also puts the military on a footing to achieve its objective of reducing the conflict to inconsequential levels by 2010.
菲律宾军方说，攻势已经摧毁了摩罗伊斯兰自由阵线发动战略进攻的能力，并限制了它为当地恐怖分子提供庇护的能力。政府军正在实现在2010年之前将战斗规模降低到最小的目标。
Al Jacinto is a Mindanao publisher and political analyst. He says the offensive came in retaliation to MILF strikes that left scores of civilians dead and forced 200,000 flee their homes after peace efforts faltered last year.
埃尔哈辛托是棉兰老岛出版社和政治分析专家。他说，军方的攻势报复摩罗伊斯兰自由阵线发动的一系列造成数十名平民丧生的攻击。去年和平努力失败后有20万人被迫逃离家园。
He also says land rights remain at the heart of the conflict and the issue is not likely to be resolved anytime soon.
他还说，土地所有权依然是冲突的核心问题，而且这个问题很难短期内解决。
"Many of these lands are now occupied by the political leaders of Mindanao, the powerful clans, Christian clans, politicians and businessmen. So that's a big problem and the MILF and many Muslims accuse these people of land grabbing so I think there will be a lot problems about this Muslim homeland," he said.
埃尔哈辛托说：“许多土地现在被棉兰老岛的政治领袖、权势集团、基督教派、政客和商人占据。这是个大问题。反叛力量和很多穆斯林指责这些人瓜分土地。我认为在这个穆斯林家园问题丛生。”
However, Philippine political analysts say the offensive will give some prestige to President Gloria Arroyo as she completes her last year of office.
但是，菲律宾政治分析人士认为，成功的军事进攻有助于提升总统阿罗约最后一年执政期间的声望。
It will also win the Philippine military some kudos in Washington if it delivers a few more telling blows against regional terrorist outfit Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf militants. Members of both groups have found sanctuary with the MILF and a haven on Mindanao.
菲律宾军方如果对地区恐怖组织伊斯兰祈祷团和阿布沙耶夫再进行几次重大打击，将会赢得华盛顿的赞许。这两个组织的成员得到摩罗伊斯兰自由阵线的庇护，在棉兰老岛有一个避风港所。
The Philippine population is predominately Christian, but a Muslim minority lives mostly in the southern islands. For decades, various groups have fought for a separate nation for Muslims in the south. The government has reached peace deals with some rebels, but the MILF and Abu Sayyaf have fought on.
菲律宾人口主要是基督徒，但占少数的穆斯林主要生活在菲律宾的南部岛屿。数十年来，许多团体组织都为在南部建立独立国家而战。政府军曾与一些反叛组织达成和平协议，但摩罗伊斯兰自由阵线和阿布沙耶夫武装一直坚持战斗。 |