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Using the US war of aggression as rationale:
Intensifying reaction in the Philippines and overseas

 Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

US imperialism and its allies are currently taking full advantage of their declared "war against terrorism" to impose reaction worldwide and intensify aggression for worldwide hegemony.

In Western Europe, suppression and discrimination against Arabs, Muslims and even other foreigners and migrants from Third World countries have been stepped up. In the name of tightened security, surveillance operations, arrests and other forms of harassment are being perpetrated against the people. One of the groups most vulnerable to such attacks are migrant Filipinos, since they often comprise the biggest migrant group in various parts of the world. Migrant Filipinos who are members of anti-imperialist and progressive forces have been singled out as the foremost target of harassment in the blind search for "terrorists" being conducted by the police in Western countries.

In the Philippines, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime is likewise using the US war of aggression as its rationale for tightening its grip on the people and launching more intense attacks against the revolutionary movement.

Discrimination against Filipinos condemned

Migrante-Europe has vigorously condemned the illegal arrest by the Belgium police of 30 migrant Filipinos on September 20. Their homes were raided at dawn and their personal papers and belongings ransacked and their cellphones, address books and telephone directories confiscated. They were detained in separate rooms for almost half a day, interrogated and denied food. The police did not even consider the fact that those they were harassing had their small children with them. The interrogation was concentrated on members of Ugnayan ng mga Pilipino sa Belgium and the Cordillera-Belgium Association, both member organizations of Migrante-Europe, an alliance of democratic mass organizations of migrants in Europe. Aside from Filipinos, the Belgian police also harassed migrants from other countries (Pakistanis, Albanians, Algerians, Poles, Spaniards and Portuguese) and even progressive Belgians.

In the face of such abuse, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime did nothing to protect the welfare of migrant Filipinos. Worse, Philippine officials were quick to defend the racism of Belgium on the pretext that the arrests were "routine" and that those who were illegally arrested were immediately released. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs called on Filipinos to "be careful" and "avoid being conspicuous" to authorities of their host countries. Migrante-International and representatives of Bayan Muna in Congress have proposed that a diplomatic protest be filed over the incident.

Tighter repression in Belgium, especially against anti-imperialist and progressive forces and migrants is due to the fact that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military alliance of the US and imperialist countries in Europe, has its headquarters here. NATO fully supports the US' "war against terrorism".

Macapagal-Arroyo regime's all-out support for Imperialism and Fascism

In the name of the "anti-terrorism campaign", the Macapagal-Arroyo regime has also immediately implemented worse antinational and anti-democratic measures pushed by its imperialist and fascist backers. These measures have been capsulized in the regime's "14 pillars".

Even in the absence of a behest from the US, Macapagal-Arroyo has given her full support and go-signal for everything the US wants to do. In violation of the government's own constitution, she has given blanket authority to US aircraft, seacraft and military troops to utilize Subic, Clark Field (Diosdado Macapagal Airport) and Mactan Airport (Benito Ebuen Airbase) and the country's entire airspace, without the necessity of a signed treaty or access agreement. The US Pacific Fleet commander has duly toured and inspected these facilities and outlined the US' plans for using them for its war. The regime has unabashedly allowed the country's sovereignty to be trampled on and has disregarded the Filipino people's victory in their historic struggle against the military bases.

Even with the economy in dire straits, the regime has also offered other assistance in the form of food donations, medicines, doctors and others. Macapagal-Arroyo has also offered to send soldiers to participate in the US war of aggression against other countries.

She has also expressed openness for the US to intervene directly in the country, not only against local terrorists, but especially against the revolutionary forces.

She has likewise agreed to proposals to implement the National ID System, which has several times been rejected by the people and even by the Supreme Court in 1998. Malaca�ang has set up a group to study mechanisms for the implementation of the "One-ID system", the regime's new name for the National ID System. This system, which has time and again been pushed by militarists, will suppress the people's civil liberties and democratic rights. Its primary objective is to fight the growing revolutionary movement. Democratic organizations including the Kilusang Mayo Uno, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan ang Bayan Muna have strongly assailed this scheme.

The regime is also exploiting the war hysteria to set aside its peace talks with the NDFP and rationalize its plan to intensify attacks against the revolutionary forces. Despite an agreement to push through with the talks in October, the GRP has suddenly suspended the peace talks indefinitely and is preparing further assaults on the revolutionary forces.

All democratic forces must thoroughly resist the suppressive schemes of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime perpetrated in the name of the �war against terrorism�. Such resistance is part of the emerging broad international front against US intervention, terrorism and aggression.

US war of aggression and intensified reaction assailed by democratic forces in the country

The US' declaration of a war of aggression and the Macapagal-Arroyo regime's obsequious support for the latter as well as reaction's exploitation of the situation to advance counterrevolution and the suppression of progressives and a people in resistance have reaped criticism from various progressive and democratic forces in the country.

Even during the commemoration of the 29th anniversary of martial law, the condemnation of the "anti-terrorist war" was linked to the fact that human rights violations are intensifying and that militarism continues to hold the country hostage.

A coalition was also formed on September 24 against the US' war of aggression. The "Justice Not War Coalition" includes representatives from the Moro-Christian People's Alliance, Promotion of Church People's Response, Migrante-International, Gabriela, BAYAN, KMU and Anakbayan. Among its leaders is Dante Vizmanos, a former Philippine Navy captain, military affairs adviser of the Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition and convenor of the Junk VFA Movement. Along with calling for justice for all victims of the terrorist attacks in the US, the coalition also called for justice for the victims of the US' long history of terrorism, from its interventionist genocidal war in the Philippines to its continued bombing of Iraq.

All democratic forces must thoroughly resist the suppressive schemes of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime perpetrated in the name of the "war against terrorism". Such resistance is part of the emerging broad international front against US intervention, terrorism and aggression.

 


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September 2001
English Edition


Editorial:
Condemn and resist the terrorist war of agression!

Terrorist crimes of the US and its fascist puppets
Vulnerability of imperialist economy exposed in attack on US
Strategic imperialist interests in Afganistan
Using the US war of aggression as rationale:
Intensifying reaction in the Philippines and overseas
Reports from Correspondents:
Conference on the Iloco language: An important breakthrough in achieving unity on Iloco writing and translation

Reports from Correspondents:
Vigorous, swift and effective action of the masses in the guerilla zones

Reports from Correspondents:
Operations of the Force Recon Battalion of the Philippine Marines

RHB: Criminal and counterrevolutionary
CPLA officially integrated into the AFP
News
Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and standpoint on current issues.

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