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Issue No. 31                        September 16-22,  2001                    Quezon City, Philippines

Two days before the 10th anniversary of the Senate vote against extending the life of US military bases in the country, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) today warned the Macapagal-Arroyo government against "dragging the Philippines in a so-called world war against terrorism." Bayan raised the alarm that the war declaration by US President Bush and the backing it has garnered from its allies may well lead into an attack against sovereign and independent countries and peace-loving peoples.

"We caution the President against unthinkingly allowing US forces to reuse former Clark and Subic base fatalities which have already been converted to commercial and industrial use. Such pronouncements of support to a US-led war -- which up to now has no clear, established target -- make us a magnet for attack by enemies of the US, specifically, US imperialism, and a party to US-instigated wars of aggression," said Bayan Chairperson Rafael Mariano.

On Wednesday, Bayan joined Filipinos in condemning the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center but warned against any blind retaliatory action by US forces that may harm civilians more than terrorists suspected of masterminding the bloody carnage.

"Mrs. Arroyo should think twice before assiduously following the baton of her US master. Our country must not be made to condone state-sponsored terrorism hiding behind anti-terrorist rhetoric," said Mariano.

Mariano said that Filipinos and the world’s peoples should be wary of the US-led international coalition. "We should not allow ourselves to join any enterprise that purportedly fights terrorism but may lead to violation of the rights of sovereign nations and bring harm to civilians more than the supposed targets."

He said that the US war against Iraq and continuing military operations directed against Saddam Hussein have cost the lives of at least 260,000 civilians, the destruction of civilian installations and spawned hunger and disease due to the US-sponsored economic embargo. "We worry for whichever country the US may target to follow the fate of Iraq. With a contingent of 19 other nations, the advanced US military arsenal may cut down to half, if not completely obliterate, the entire population of that nation’s capital."

The Bayan leader likewise urged the police and military against "irresponsible statements against the Moro people" in the aftermath of the US tragedy. Newspapers have reported that the PNP has started monitoring Muslim communities in Metro Manila to prevent "terrorist attacks."

"It appears that the PNP and AFP are more advanced in their investigations than the US military and police. In their rush to curry favor with their imperialist master, they have, without a shred of evidence, started to pin the blame on Filipino Muslims. This should stop," Mariano said. Bulatlat.com

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