Academics, teachers, and school and university employees gathered on April 14 at University of the Philippines-Diliman in Quezon City to launch the alliance that opposes US aggression war in many countries. They named it Coalition of Academics Against US Aggression or Causa.

Causa’s unity statement declares that they envision a world free from colonialism, imperialist domination, and exploitation. It declared that they stand for the fundamental right of all peoples to self-determination on which other human rights are founded.

“We affirm the inherent right of peoples to resist, in whatever form necessary, unjust authority, oppression, and systems of domination,” Causa stated. It added that the struggle for liberation is both legitimate and necessary amid systemic violence and foreign aggression.

Thus, Causa will actively campaign against all war of aggression by the US and its allies. The alliance immediately calls for the complete halt of the US-Israel aggression war against Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine.

The alliance will also join the peoples of Venezuela and Cuba in their struggle against economic coercion and political intervention. “We oppose all forms of economic sanctions, blockades, and foreign-imposed destabilization that undermine national sovereignty and development,” it stated.

Causa’s task will also include exposing and challenging imperialist propaganda that masks intervention, militarization, and regime change with so-called humanitarian aid or democratic reforms. “We recognize the critical role of educators and academic institutions in cultivating critical consciousness and resisting disinformation,” the alliance stated.

Causa will consequently oppose militarization within educational institutions and campuses to keep these as spaces of critical inquiry, dissent, and creation of people-oriented knowledge production. “Education must serve the interests of the people, not imperialist agendas,” the alliance stated.

Causa will support the right to self-determination of all countries including Palestine, Iran, and Philippines. They support the countries that seek to chart an independent path free from foreign domination and interference.

It will also strengthen the voice of educators in advancing an independent foreign policy for the Philippines. This includes calls to expel foreign troops from the country, their equipment, and military facilities. Causa also demands the abrogation of unequal military agreements that compromise national sovereignty.

“We stand united with the peoples of the world in their struggle for liberation, justice, and genuine peace,” Causa stated.