Journalists Call for Peace, Assail GMA’s Pro-War Stance

Leaders of press organizations and media practitioners last week expressed concern over President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s all-out support to the U.S. government’s impending war against Iraq which they said is clearly an armed aggression.

By Bulatlat.com

The leaders along with members of the working press also said that while claiming to support U.S. President Georgw W. Bush in his war against Iraq for the sake of peace, “her administration unleashes military offensives in Pikit, North Cotabato, in Mindanao where more than 80,000 residents – almost all of them Muslims – have been displaced.”

The unity statement, “Media for Peace,” was read in a gathering of journalists, broadcasters and media groups called “Boses ng Media Laban sa Iraq,” Feb. 27 at Sulo Hotel, Quezon City.

At press time, more than 70 media practitioners have signed the statement. Many others are expected to sign and stand for peace.

The signatories included Edgar Cadagat, president of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and its vice-president, Inday Espina-Varona; Jose “Pete” Lacaba; Ronalyn Olea, president of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP); Sonia Capio of DZRJ’s “Ngayon Na, Bayan!”; broadcasters and TV personalities, including Deo Macalma, Jerry Cornejo, Totoy Talastas and Isko Salvador; Rowena Carranza-Paraan of Bulatlat.com; Lyn Resurreccion of Today; Isagani de Castro of Asahi Shimbun and Newsbreak; Bobby Tuazon, executive director of People’s Media Center; and Prof. Danilo Arao of the UP College of Mass Communication.

Others who signed were journalists and broadcasters from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Today, Malaya, Bulletin Today, ABC5, GMA-7, DZRH, Asahi Shimbun, Kyodo News, Balikbayan Magazine, Kaiba News and Features, Cobra-Ans, Philippine News and Features , Visayas Daily Courier, Bulatlat.com and other media offices in Metro Manila and in the provinces.

Speaking for NUJP, Espina-Varona, who is also managing editor of Graphic magazine, said her organization is committed to reject and oppose any attempt to clamp down on press freedom and the people’s right to know. The NUJP vice president said this in the light of reports of constraints imposed on the war coverage particularly in Mindanao by government and military officials.

She also called on the media to situate armed conflicts in their proper context and maintain press vigilance on reports of war displacements and human rights violations not only in Iraq but also in Mindanao.

CEGP president Olea denounced the Armed Forces’ “unflinching military campaign” to wipe out the Moro Islamic Liberation Front) which, she said, has erased all prospects of ending the war through peaceful means. She also assailed President Macapagal-Arroyo’s “destructive war policy” in the Philippines even while she continues to support Bush’s war of aggression in Iraq.

Broadcaster Capio, on the other hand, urged her media colleagues to “present a clearer and more accurate picture of the economic policies and deceiving intentions of the U.S. government in waging war against Iraq.” The starting point, she said, is to recognize that the country’s national interest is not identical with that of the United States.

In the unity statement read by Tuazon during the forum, the media practitioners warned that a war in the Middle East “will have devastating effects on the hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipino workers in the region” and send oil prices skyrocketing.

“Given the devastation the war will bring,” they said, “we are moved to express concern at the Arroyo government’s pertinacious support for Bush’s war – a war with dubious motives, stained with the lust for oil and full of inconsistencies and double standards.”

Representatives of the media organizations also announced they will join tomorrow’s anti-war prayer rally at the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park. The rally is initiated by the Catholic Church and other religious groups, Muslim organizations and several cause-oriented groups.

The rally is expected to mobilize at least 50,000 anti-war protesters, organizers said.

Initiators of the “Media for Peace” are Sonny Fernandez (ABC5), Espina-Varona, Lira Dalangin (INQ7.net), Capio, Agnes Donato (PDI), Charlie Manalo (Balikbayan magazine), Edgar Hilario (Bulletin Today) and Ruth Cervantes (DZRJ). Bulatlat.com

Media for Peace

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