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Sunday, March 09, 2003
Editorial: Fighting words, fighting mood
FIGHTING words were issued by the controversial Mayor Rodrigo Duterte against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) whom he accused of being responsible for the bombings sustained by Davao City last Tuesday.
In typical gung-ho macho fashion Mayor Duterte railed against the group saying what they allegedly did is not in pursuit of any ideology, which would have somewhat acquired a patina of legitimacy but is pure terrorism.
He had some choice cuss words for the rebel group and even gave them the "dirty finger" to drive home the sense of outrage he felt over the tragedies that resulted in 21 lives lost, hundreds injured and millions of pesos lost in both the local and national economies.
While we are sympathetic and certainly understand Duterte's anger over the tragedies we are however alarmed over his suggestion that martial law be implemented in Mindanao as a result of the recent attacks.
Those old enough to remember those dark days know only too well the possible abuses that may be inflicted by a military already on edge from waging the insurgency wars on the New People's Army (NPA) and MILF fronts.
And so we ask--would martial prove beneficial to Mindanaoans, including Cagayan de Oro residents and Misamisnons in the immediate and long-term basis.
The imposition of martial law or a state of emergency in Mindanao would only justify the numerous negative travel advisories issued by the US, Japan, Australia, Canada and the European Union (EU) on it.
Mindanao has already reeled from the crippling effects of the brownouts that struck its cities, towns and provinces and now it would see tourism arrivals dive to a mere trickle if at all as a result of the imposition of martial law.
Cagayan de Oro, specifically would feel the economic crunch for the martial law imposition would set back whatever gains have been sustained by the city and Misamis Oriental in the past few months.
Militant groups like the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and the Women Working for World Peace (WWW.Peace) coalition have earlier accused the military of staging these recent power outages and attacks in order to create a climate of fear that would necessitate the entry of US troops for the Balikatan 2003 exercises.
The imposition of martial law would have come as an added bonus and projected the US troops as the saviors of the Mindanaoans. How's that for American propaganda in the war against terror?
And oh, it would also help enhance Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes's political bid like nothing else. Like hitting two birds with one stone, eh?
In the end the peace talks remain the most viable alternative to the all-out war policy waged by the current administration against the rebels.
Already the cost of not doing so had begun to take its toll on Mindanaoans. They want genuine peace and they want it now. |
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