Negrenses Join Anti-War Protest

Negros Occidental, a province in central Philippines known for its sugar industry that has not recovered since the crush of mid-1980s, woke up last Friday to witness another landmark event. It was a Day of Prayer and Fasting – a day when thousands of Negrenses turned up in the streets to shout “No to the U.S. War on Iraq!”

By Karl G. Ombion and Edgar A. Cadagat
Bulatlat.com / Cobra-ans

BACOLOD CITY – Americans, Europeans, Asians and other nationalities in their millions and in massive rallies are standing up against the impending war on Iraq. Last Friday, 5,000 Negrenses also lent their voice to the anti-war upsurge as they massed up and held a colorful march for the nationally-coordinated prayer-protest.

Local militant organizations and anti-war activists have been marching in the streets since last year to register their opposition to the war. But last Feb. 28’s anti-war protest brought in more peace advocates from the church, schools, artists and civic organizations.

Leslie Garcia, a convenor of the Pilgrims for Peace, said the Feb. 28 anti-war mobilization in Negros was part of their commitment to bring about a lasting peace in the country and across the globe.

"This is our local contribution to the global efforts to frustrate the rampaging U.S. imperialism now in extreme desperation to get out of its terminal crisis of overproduction and financial deficits," Garcia said.

He also said that the rally was his organization’s "response to the call of the Pope and the Churches to stand for peace, and resist the U.S. war on Iraq." It has always been the stand of the progressive church to uphold life and oppose all forms of unjust wars and assaults on humanity, he said.

In his pastoral letter, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra declared Feb. 28 as a Day of Prayer and Fasting, as he urged the faithful and all those concerned to join as the Church storm the heavens with prayers.

The Feb. 28 anti-war mobilization was spearheaded by the Promotion for Church People’s Response (PCPR) - Negros, Pilgrims for Peace and the Inter-Faith Movement.

The march, highlighted by street plays showing the horrors of war, with brief stopovers in strategic areas for speeches and cultural presentations, ended at the city's public plaza for the rally. The Concerned Artists in Negros (CAN) organized the street dramas and plays.

At rally points, several priests took turns calling on American forces to leave the Philippines and the Middle East. Near the city, Fr. Jecson Davao of Karapatan-Negros, echoed the call of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to end the war against Iraq and all U.S. wars of aggression. Bulatlat.com/Cobra-Ans

We want to know what you think of this article.