Editorial:
Expose and oppose the rising tide of US military intervention in the country

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Intensifying US military intervention in the country, which is now being directed at bastions of the New People's Army (NPA), is a brazen violation of national sovereignty.

In the latter part of February, up to 700 American troops participating in the Balikatan joint military exercises were set to join 12 AFP units assigned to 12 specific areas in Quezon province believed to be NPA strongholds. The soldiers are currently in the towns of Real, Infanta and Nakar.

The American troops are invoking "humanitarian assistance" to victims of last December's calamity as a pretext. Their real objective is to familiarize themselves with these particular areas, gather intelligence and condition public opinion to gradually accept the rising level of US intervention in the counterrevolutionary war in the Philippines.

Even before this, US military troops had already begun their direct intervention by deploying 40 American soldiers inside the tactical command posts of AFP units pursuing the Moro National Liberation front (MNLF) in Sulu. The US military officers serve as advisers to the AFP in the latter's operations against the MNLF, which has revived its armed resistance to the Arroyo regime. Also invoking "humanitarian assistance" as a pretext, the US soldiers in Sulu likewise claim that forces of the MNLF, Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah are in collusion, something that the MNLF vehemently denies.

The US wants to create a situation where its troops can freely conduct operations against the revolutionary forces of the NPA and the Moro people in accordance with the Bush doctrine of waging preemptive strikes and a war without borders.

In its ambition to rule the world, the US is mercilessly running roughshod over the sovereignty of nations and trampling over the people's human rights.

Dovetailing the rising level of American military intervention is a US project called the Strategic Support Branch that will launch covert intelligence operations even in countries with governments allied with the US like the Philippines. The covert operations will involve not only American spies but Filipinos actively recruited to conduct espionage against their own country. The scheme includes as well the enlistment of criminal personalities whose connections to the US may cause embarrassment should they be revealed.

The US' plans are sure to result in intensified human rights violations and more dirty and underhanded tactics against the US' perceived enemies. In line with this is the Arroyo regime's vigorous campaign to enact the National ID system and other "anti-terrorist" measures that curtail civil liberties.

Even now, the few weeks of pursuit operations in nine towns of Sulu have already resulted in the forced evacuation of some 100,000 civilians and the destruction of their homes and livelihood due to bombings, harassment of civilians and other human rights violations.

Despite calls for a ceasefire from so many sectors, Malaca�ang has arrogantly declared that it will relentlessly push through with its military operations in Sulu. The regime surely draws its cockiness from the imperialist consultants it has been consorting with.

In Quezon, the first few days of the Balikatan exercises have already wrought violations of human rights and disruption of the people's lives. On March 1, elements of the 76th IB arbitrarily arrested Miralyn Gamba, Leonila Manalo, Nancy Elle and a pregnant Aileen Ramos, all members of the Gabriela Women's Party (GWP) in Sitio Balugbog, Barangay Bataan, Sampaloc, Quezon. The AFP has accused the four women activists of being NPA guerrillas.

The only reason for the AFP to arbitrarily arrest the four women is its inordinate desire to secure the hundreds of American troops operating in northern Quezon. In the twisted logic of the Arroyo government, reactionary military and their imperialist master, all progressive organizations are threats to their security.

The people must never allow the trampling of Philippine national sovereignty, whether open or clandestine.

All opportunities must be exhausted to expose and oppose to the hilt US imperialism's sinister plan to create the conditions for raising the level of military intervention and even military aggression in the future. Once American troops directly participate in offensive military actions, the NPA reserves the right to defend itself and the interests of the masses against foreign intervention and military aggression.

07 March 2005
English Edition

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