The Transnational Institute

The Transnational Institute
Press Release, 27 March 2002

International Peace Mission Exposes US War Strategy in Southern Philippines

There are strong indications that the stationing of US Special troops in the Southern Philippines is linked to a strategic intent on the part of the United States to consolidate its military presence in Southeast Asia, directed at Muslim revivalist movements in the Philippines as well as in the region. This serves for the further rolling back of civil liberties and the suppressing of democratic opposition in the region. This is one of the conclusions reached by an International Peace Mission, which undertook a three-day fact-finding visit to Basilan Island, to assess the impact of the US military presence there.

The International Peace Mission was co-organised by Focus on the Global South (Thailand), Institute of Popular Democracy and Akbayan (Philippines) and the Netherlands-based Transnational Institute (TNI). Its task was to assess the impact of the introduction of US troops into a war zone that is emerging as a "second front" for the US "war against terrorism." The US Special troops have been deployed to train and collaborate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to eliminate Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group who are allegedly linked to the Al Qaeda international network.

During a Manila Press Conference on 27 March, an Opening Statement read by Dr. Walden Bello, Director of Focus on the Global South, and head of the 14 person Peace Mission, highlighted the following initial findings:

• There is strong evidence that the Philippine military is committing human rights violations in warrantless arrests, detention without trial and alleged torture of suspected Abu Sayyaf members
• The Abu Sayyaf problem is a phenomenon rooted in a complex political situation, which will not be solved by increased militarisation
• Testimonies by the inhabitants of Basilan indicate that the Abu Sayyaf are protected by high officials of the Philippine military at regional and provincial level.

The Peace Mission, which was initiated to look into the realities of the war in Basilan, was received and assisted by residents of the island even at the risk of their own lives. Meanwhile the Philippine government, despite earlier promises, did not extend cooperation to the Mission. Wahab Akbar, Governor of Basilan, prevented members of the Mission from visiting and interviewing prisoners arrested without warrant and detained in the Provincial jail. While the Mission members were able to meet with some officials of the Philippine and US military, their appointments with the highest-ranking officials were cancelled.

Meanwhile, Santos Laban, Secretary General of The Philippine Alliance for Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), which conducted an earlier fact-finding mission on human rights abuses, said that "if the government has nothing to hide, then they should have allowed the members of the international mission to freely interview alleged victims of human rights violations".