Arroyo Called Off ASEAN Summit Due to Storm
of Protests, Activists Say
It’s the storm of
protests against ASEAN and Con-Ass and not Typhoon Seniang that led to the
postponement of the summit, cause-oriented groups in Cebu say.
By Emily Vital
Bulatlat
CEBU CITY –
Organizers of counter-ASEAN conferences here believe that the real reason
behind the postponement of the regional association’s summit of leaders is
not due to an impending typhoon but the storm of protests against charter
change that are seen to swell in the next few days.
The office of
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, host of the 12th Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, postponed Dec. 8 the event due
to an impending typhoon, codenamed “Seniang.” Weather reports in Cebu
said, however, the typhoon is expected to hit the northern part of Cebu
island province but not the city where the summit is to be held Dec.
11-15.
Progressive groups
are not buying the presidential office’s announcement.
In a press conference
Dec. 9 at St. Theresa’s College here, Jaime Paglinawan, chair of Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance)-Central Visayas,
said that the postponement is due to the impending storm of protests here
in Cebu and in Metro Manila.
“Even before the
opening of the ASEAN summit,” Paglinawan said, “protests have been staged
by different sectors. We have exposed the ill impacts of the ASEAN
hosting. Corruption and overspending of local governments, demolition of
urban poor communities, human rights abuses, among others, have been
highlighted.”
Meanwhile, Elmer
Labog, chairp of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May 1st Movement),
underscored the impact of what he called @brewing political storm in
Manila@ to the ASEAN summit.
“Jose de Venecia and
other Malacanang lackeys in Congress are doing everything they can to
shield Arroyo from the wave of criticisms and protests from all sectors,”
he said.
Bayan and other
anti-Arroyo forces have announced that they will hold big mass actions
next week against the Con-Ass (short for constituent assembly). The
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has also called on
the faithful to oppose the Con-Ass.
Middle of last week,
the administration-dominated House of Representatives passed House
Resolution 1450 calling for the conversion of the bicameral Congress into
a Constituent Assembly) that will amend the 1987 Constitution. Proponents
of charter change have been batting for a shift for a unicameral
parliamentary system but its opponents see otherwise – a strategy to
perpetuate the power of the President and her political allies in the
House.
Apparently taken
aback by the spontaneous howls of protest against Con-Ass, De Venecia
announced December 9 the postponement of ConAss and called for elections
of members of Constitutional Convention (ConCon) on May 14.
Reacting to De
Venecia, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said that the decision of the House
speaker and the majority bloc to drop the Con-Ass temporarily is a
“tactical victory for the Filipino people.” He added, however, that the
people must remain vigilant.
Counter
conferences continue
Rita Baua, vice chair
of the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) Philippine
chapter, said that they will push through with the conference on U.S.
militarism and war on terror. Some 130 local and foreign delegates from 20
countries have arrived for the conference.
Baua said, foreign
delegates have are in Cebu to discuss the implications of the U.S.’ global
war of terror to the peoples of the world and unite on ways “to resist
U.S. military intervention and aggression.”
The ILPS will launch
a campaign in East Asia and Oceania against U.S. military bases. The U.S.
has 850 bases in 138 countries.
In a statement,
Antonio Tujan, chair of the Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) and Ibon
research director, said, “We will continue to oppose U.S. agenda in the
ASEAN because agreements have already been made and continue to be
negotiated.” The APRN co-sponsored the conference on militarism.
Bulatlat
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