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Peace movements solidify ranks to oppose US-led war against terrorism |
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Written by Samira Ali Gutoc
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Saturday, 07 September 2002 |
Grrr! I was trying not to rant to myself "; they're at it again as I stared at the word "Islamist terrorist" splashed on the Newsweek issue on Remembering 9-11. Loose usage of the words Islamic fundamentalist or Muslim terrorist pigeonholes the 9-11 tragedy to what the global powers term the War against Terrorism as a They and Us war. To paraphrase the words of US President George Bush, you're either with us or you're not.
Media and Public Discourse in post 9-11 was only one of major concerns of non-governmental organizations who met in Manila last week. 17 country representatives of "peace movements" across the region, including Ramon Magsaysay (RM) awardee Sandeep Pajay (of India) and free trade critic Walden Bello, met to tackle post 9-11 concerns. Conspicuous was the absence of Afghan delegates, who were suspected of encountering entry problems with local offices.
In a culminating activity, the human rights activists with their country flags marched the streets of Manila to oppose what they see as a war that has bred "intolerance rather than understanding." and the "strengthering of war ";making machinery by the US and its allies and tightening of controls on civil society." "The US government working with our own governments, has effectively created a situation where peoples and nations are being neatly boxed in "; either as valorized as supporters of America's new war or demonized as lovers and protectors of terrorism," said former senator Wigberto Tanada during the opening of the Asian Peace Assembly (APA) held on Aug. 29- Sept. 2 at the UP Diliman.
Pakistani feminist Naghda Said Khan and local Moro delegates proposed to condemn the "demonization of Islam through RACIAL PROFILING and Media furthering this end." Racial profiling is a investigatory method by authorities to interrogate suspected individuals on the basis of their race or religion. Those arrested for the World Trade Center (WTC) Attack are mostly of "Arab descent."
The delegates did not discount the tragedy of the WTC attack . "We condemned the attacks and joined the entire global community of nations in grief over the tragic loss of innocent lives," said Tanada. "But let me stress that the problems of terrorism cannot be resolved with a mere military solution. We need to recognize that there are deeper social, political, economic and cultural dimensions to conflicts that must be addressed."
The other sub-topics, where academicians and activists were speakers, in the Asian Peace Assembly were as follows:
"War and Economy "; the Invisible Hand (of the Market) and the Hidden Fist"
This session observed that "economic globalization, by deepening inequality is increasingly seen as laying the conditions that spark wars." Global institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are seen are "actively and directly encouraging global militarization" with "offers of military aid in exchange for submission to the institutions' demands."
This session was co-sponsored by the UP third World Studies Center, Akbayan and the Focus on the Global South
Militarization, Nuclearization and the Role of the US
The US nuclear policy and other nuclear powers is seen as "contributing to further militarization, national unrests, violation of basic rights and increasing poverty in Asia-Pacific."
This session was co-sponsored by the UP Asian Center, SANLAKAS, Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition among others.
Media and Public Discourse
"It (the situation of We vs They War) created a dichotomy that practically obliterates the voice looking for peace, replacing it with voices for war." The session was co-sponsored by the UP College of Mass Communication and Policy Review and Editorial Services (PRESS) and Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (the the main Coordinator Secretariat for the APA or Asian Peace Assembly)
Religion, Ethnicity and the Search for Peace
"The identification and attention away from the real problems besetting a country, the identification of a community, religion, race, culture or linguistic group with all that is wrong with the world is fraught with dangers." The session was co-sponsored by ARENA, UP Institute Islamic Studies , Kaalagad, among others.
Internal Conflicts and Peace Processes
The session observed that modern day wars mostly within states and in Asia, have registered an alarming trend: civilians rather than combatants make up most of the casualties. Increasing number of women and children have been forcibly evicted from their homes by armed fighting. The session was co-sponsored by the UP 3rd World Studies and Center for UP Center for Integrative Development Studies.
Erosion of International Standards
The session observed that the September 11 terrorist attacks have "triggered an anti-terrorism war which is threatening the human rights of ordinary citizens worldwide." Speaker Ms. Socorro Diokno of Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) confirmed that as an aftermath of 9-11, several governments have arrested and detained individuals indefinitely without trial in secret and without access to lawyers and relatives. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is sought to be implemented. The session was co-sponsored by Ateneo Human Rights Center and Phil. Coalition for the ICC.
Other topics were "Gender and violence in Multi-ethnic communities" and the "Role of Social Movements amidst a world at War".
The APA assembly in its program of action agreed to conduct fact-finding mission to areas affected by military actions, media campaigns calling for peace and promoting research based on human rights and gender justice.
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