Posts

ILPS-Phils: State terror rules in Turkey and the Philippines

/in /by

(Repost from ILPS website)

MANILA. The Philippines chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) joins the world in condemning the bloodiest bombing of a peace rally in Ankara, Turkey.

State terror rules in Turkey as in the Philippines, with Turkey as part of the US-led NATO alliance in Europe bordering Syria and the Philippines a US ally for its pivot into Asia. In both cases, the people mourn their dead, the ILPS-Phils said.

The Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) puts the death toll in the Ankara bombing at 128 with hundreds more injured. The Turkish army conducted more air raids on southeast Turkey and northern Iraq against Kurds, killing 49 over the last two days. An earlier suicide bombing in the town of Suruc on the Syrian border killed 33.

The Aquino government through its Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday that it shares “the grief and sorrow of the Turkish nation”. Those were crocodile tears, the ILPS-Phils contended.

The DFA statement was quoted as saying that the Philippines “stands by Turkey in its fight against terrorism.”

“The real terrorism is state-sponsored terrorism,” the ILPS-Phils said.

Under the guise of fighting terrorism, Turkey has bombed Kurdish people fighting for peace and democracy.

In the Philippines, the Aquino government also condemned the Ankara bombing as “inhumane and dastardly”. With its own war against the Filipino people, however, there were more than 200 victims of extra-judicial killings since July 2010 including 72 indigenous peoples of whom 57 are Lumad of Mindanao.

Drawing parallels between the two US-client states, the ILPS-Phils also cited their failures at peace-building.

The Erdogan dismissed the peace talks and a ceasefire called by Kurdish fighters. The Aquino government also stalled peace negotiations and reneged on earlier agreements with Moro fighters and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

“The Erdogan should bear full accountability its crimes,” the ILPS-Phils said.

The US-Aquino regime was found guilty of its own war crimes as established this year by the International Peoples Tribunal in Washington, DC.

Investigating into the Lumad killings in the Philippines, the Aquino government declined to invite UN Special Rapporteurs on Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, on the Rights of the Indigenous People’s, on Situation of Human Rights Defenders, and on the Promotion of the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.

Several people’s organizations have demanded to end the killings and US-led terrorism.###

http://ilps-phils.com/state-terror-rules-in-turkey-and-the-philippines/

 

International Peoples’ Conference on Mining

/in , /by

July 31, 2015 press conference of the IPCM (International Peoples’ Conference on Mining) with Mr. Clemente Bautista (Philippines), Atty. Selcuk Kocagacli (Turkey), Ms. Maria Antonia Recinos (El Salvador), Ms. Genevieve Talbot (Canada), Dr. Mark Muller (United Kingdom), Mr. Gabriel Sheanopa Manyangadze (Zimbabwe), and Mr. Ki Bagus Hadi Kusuma (Indonesia). The IPCM was attended by more than 140 participants from 28 countries resisting mining plunder, rights violations and environmental destruction. The conference is co-sponsored by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) Commission 13.

Justice Antonio Carpio on the South China Sea dispute

/in , /by

Highlights of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio’s presentation “The South China Sea Dispute” at the forum “Asserting Philippine Sovereignty in the Wake of the China-US Powerplay” organized by P1NAS (Pilipinong Nagkakaisa para sa Soberanya) held at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila on July 25, 2015. Justice Carpio gives an update on China’s reclamation of seven reefs in the Spratlys and debunks China’s 9-dashed line and illegal claims including that over Scarborough Shoal and the high seas. He presents solid historical facts, including old maps and documents, and sets legal bases for our arbitration case under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the maritime dispute with China.

BAYAN: Oppose the US-Japan-Philippine naval exercises

/in , /by

“The Philippines must reject US intervention and rising Japan militarism. Neither are out to serve our national interest. The naval exercises themselves do very little to develop our own capability for external defence. We’ve had so many with the United States yet our armed forces remain undeveloped. The avowed goal of interoperability is a sham considering the backwardness of our own Navy when compared to the US and Japan. All things considered, we are merely being used by bigpowers for their own geopolitical interest.” – Bagong Alyansang Makabayan

more stories at www.bayan.ph

LARAWAN: No to US-Japan Military Alliance

/in /by

IMG_1152

IMG_1154

IMG_1167

IMG_1176

IMG_1179

IMG_1198

IMG_1203

IMG_1219

IMG_1234

IMG_1250

The United States and Japan are using the Philippine dispute with China to justify increased US intervention and the rise of Japanese militarism in the region.

The Filipino people should be wary because the ongoing military exercises between the US, Japan and the Philippines are nothing a ploy to project US military power in the region as part of its pivot to Asia. The US is merely exploiting the PH dispute with China by presenting a false “united front” against China.

The naval exercises are meant to promote US and Japan imperialist interests in the region. These two powers do not care for Philippine sovereignty nor territorial integrity.

The situation of the Philippines and Japan with respect to territorial and maritime claims vs China are quite different. Japan’s claims to Diaoyu islands are questionable because the islands were annexed by Japan as war booty in the aftermath of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95. The islands should rightfully be returned to China in the same way Japan returned other annexed territories after World War 2. Japan refuses to do so and is supported in its claim by the United States.

Meanwhile, the Philippine claims to the Scarborough or Panatag Shoal, Mischief Reef and other islands are lawful. The Philippines sovereign right to its exclusive economic zone are also lawful. Unlike Japan, the Philippine does not enjoy the support of the US in these claims. The US only feigns support so that it could justify the return of US bases and increase the number of stationed troops in the Philippines.

As a US treaty partner, Japan is part of the US military umbrella in the region. It wishes to assert its military might outside its borders but only as a junior partner of the US. The Abe regime, despite broad opposition from the Japanese people, now wishes to change provisions of its Peace Constitution to allow Japan to more actively join the US in imposing its military might in Asia and other parts of the world.

The Philippines must reject US intervention and rising Japan militarism. Neither are out to serve our national interest. The naval exercises themselves do very little to develop our own capability for external defense. We’ve had so many with the United States yet our armed forces remain undeveloped. The avowed goal of interoperability is a sham considering the backwardness of our own Navy when compared to the US and Japan. All things considered, we are merely being used by big powers for their own geopolitical interest.

To counter China, the Philippines must develop its own economy and defense capability, independent of the dictates of the United States, Japan or any other imperialist power. Our continued dependence on these big powers is what undermines are capacity to defend our sovereignty against the incursions of China. ###

Bayan
Press Statement
June 23, 2015

Listen to lola: No to US-Japan war games in PH

/in , /by

Listen to lola (grandmother). Octogenarians of Lila-Pilipina join a protest picket at the Japanese embassy as the U.S. and Japan conduct military exercises in the Philippines. Japan has yet to own up to its war crimes and give restitution to comfort women. Protesters slammed the Aquino government’s subservience to rising Japanese militarism and US imperialism in the region. Speakers include Richie Extremadura of Lila-Pilipina and Teddy Casino of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN). With the protest action is Elmer Labog of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the Philippines Chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils).

LARAWAN: Defend Philippine Sovereignty

/in /by

IMG_9611

IMG_9597

IMG_9620

IMG_9624

IMG_9631

IMG_9634

IMG_9644

IMG_9666

IMG_9667

IMG_9671

IMG_9680

IMG_9682

IMG_9684

IMG_9691

IMG_9696

Chinese Consulate to US Embassy
June 12, 2015

Organizations and personalities launch alliance for sovereignty

/in , /by

In light of Chinese incursions into Philippine territory and proposals from the Aquino government that US military bases should again be allowed in the Philippines, various organizations and personalities formed and launched an alliance to defend Philippine sovereignty at the National Press Club this morning.

This video shows Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares explaining the basis and objectives of P1NAS – Pilipinong Nagkakaisa para sa Soberanya (People’s Unity for National Sovereignty).

He is joined by former Senators Rene Saguisag, Leticia Ramos Shahani, and Victor Ziga. Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila College of Law Dean Ernesto Maceda Jr represented his father, former Senator Ernesto Maceda who, like Senators Saguisag and Ziga were part of the so-called Magnificent 12 who voted against the extension of the US Military Bases Agreement in 1991.

Organizations present in the launch included Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Pamalakaya, Migrante International, the National Union of Students of the Philippines, the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines, the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, and others.

Artists Bibeth Orteza, Mae Panel, and Heber Bartolome were also present.

Groups hold protest at Chinese consulate in Manila

/in , /by

more news at www.bayan.ph

Chinese Embassy, Makati City
June 4, 2015

Protest vs China’s incursions

/in , /by

Asserting the people’s independent foreign policy, mass organizations from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and the Philippines chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS-Phils) marched towards the Chinese embassy and held a picket to protest China’s incursions into the West Philippine Sea and US imperialist transgressions on Philippine sovereignty. Among the speakers were Renato Reyes of BAYAN and Elmer Labog of the ILPS-Phils.