Asian Youth Slam U.S. War on Terror, Unite for Peace

Youth from Asian countries stood against the U.S. war on terror in the Regional Youth Dialogue on National Liberation, Terrorism and Internal Conflict held Jan. 26-30 at the Ecumenical Center of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines in Quezon City.

BY RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com  

Police face RYD delegates (right) protesting the war on "terror" at the U.S. Embassy.

Photos by Bayani Alonzo II

Youth from Asian countries stood against the U.S. war on terror in the Regional Youth Dialogue on National Liberation, Terrorism and Internal Conflict held Jan. 26-30 at the Ecumenical Center of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines in Quezon City.

Organized by the Asian Student Association (ASA), a regional alliance of 51 national student movements, organizations and unions in Asia Pacific, the dialogue was attended by 37 delegates from the Philippines, Nepal, Hongkong, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Syria, India and Norway.

A protest action in front of the U.S. Embassy culminated the event.

Forum workshops were held in the first two days.

Crisis of overproduction

Prof. Edberto Villegas, fellow of the Center for Anti-Imperialist Studies (CAIS) and head of the Development Studies Program of the University of the Philippines in Manila, provided a substantial backgrounder on the U.S.’ war on terror. 

Villegas said that the U.S.’ war on terror was compelled by U.S. imperialism’s  intensifying crisis of overproduction. He argued that the U.S. war is a convenient excuse for U.S. imperialism to reassert its military and economic hegemony in the world.

Dr. Carol Araullo, vice chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance), discussed the international movement against imperialist globalization. Araullo was a delegate to the recently concluded People’s Movement Encounter II and also Mumbai Resistance 2004 held in Mumbai, India.

Threat to peace

Rey Casambre of the Philippine Peace Center and International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) dealt on the prospects for peace.  Casambre said what the U.S. government considers a threat to world peace is actually a threat to U.S. interests. The U.S. war on terror, Casambre asserted, threatened to lead more wars, collateral damage, violations of human rights and sovereignty of nations.

Meanwhile, Joel Garduce, also a fellow of CAIS, discussed U.S. military intervention and occupation.

Carlos Conde of National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and Bulatlat.com discussed how journalism is distorted to mould public opinion in favor of the U.S. war on terror.

Joan M.E. Salvador, chairperson of Gabriela-Youth, tackled the women’s plight during wars and armed conflicts.

Philippines

Amirah Lidasan, spokesperson of the Moro-Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA), provided the context of the U.S. military intervention in the Philippines.  She discussed the situation of Mindanao, an island in southern Philippines, where American troops have been conducting military exercises. 

Irein Cuasay, secretary general of Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) in Southern Tagalog, related the grave human rights abuses committed by the Filipino troops in her region.

Clark

The delegates also went to the resettlement area in the former U.S. military base in Clark Field, Angeles, Pampanga. Victims of toxic waste contamination related their stories. 

Particular concerns

Particular concerns of participating countries were also tackled. 

Syrian delegates are critical of the U.S. threat of aggression and occupation. Syria was labeled by the Bush regime as part of the “axis of evil.”

Ng Chong Soon of Malaysian Youth and Students Democratic Movement (DEMA) discussed the security laws in their country. He said these laws continue to repress Malaysian people of their civil and political rights.

Kawai Daisuke of Anti-invasion Students Joint Action-Japan (AASJA) said their group wants the U.S. military base in Okinawa removed. They also demanded the withdrawal of Japanese peacekeeping forces in Iraq.  AASJA is also concerned with the reunification of North and South Korea.

Ram Kumar Basnet of All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) calls for the junking of their monarchy.  He said that the Maoist insurgency is used as the pretext to implement emergency laws in Nepal.

Kavita Krishnan from India discussed the Hindutva fundamentalism forced upon the people by the Indian government.

Perry Li from Hongkong shared their campaign against the Article 23, an anti-subversion law.  Li believed the Hongkong government wants to shield itself from any from of criticism.

Peace Front Campaign

The delegates adopted a two-year peace campaign.  ASA member organizations will hold what it called “alternative classroom education” to educate the Asian youth on conflicts and peace.

Rey Asis, a member of the ASA secretariat, said their group plans to come out with a manual for the “peace front campaign”.

Iraq

Asis also disclosed that the participating organizations will hold simultaneous protest actions during the International Day of Action against the U.S. war on Iraq on March 20.

“The Asian youth are united against the U.S. occupation of Iraq,” said Asis. “We demand the immediate withdrawal of American troops in Iraq and we resist any form of U.S. intervention in the internal affairs of the Iraqi people.” Bulatlat.com

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