|
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Wenceslao: 'All-out war' worries
By Bong O. Wenceslao
For hawks, “all-out war” is good sound byte. Declaring it brings scenes of armed men descending into the battlefront and firing away at the enemy, scattering them and finally finishing them off. In short, the phrase reeks of ruthless determination. I am not surprised, therefore, that when Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia uttered it, militants protested.
For one who has seen war being fought in the field and not in “war rooms” or in front of microphones, I have become dovish. That means I am against war, more so the “all-out’ kind. There’s no such thing as “clean” war. Israel wanted to punish only Hezbollah militants, but look at the number of Lebanese civilians it has killed so far.
That is why militant groups are protesting. Vice Gov. Greg Sanchez noted recently that militant groups seem to be more worried than the New People’s Army (NPA) about Capitol’s declaration of all-out war against communist rebels. The answer is simple: NPAs are armed and can defend themselves while unarmed militants are helpless.
International humanitarian laws provide for the laying down of distinction in the treatment of armed and unarmed protagonists in the conduct of war. The problem with our past experience with “all-out war” against rebels is that the unarmed “enemies” end up as shooting gallery targets or subjects of policies like hamletting and “no-man’s land.”
Of course, nothing like that has happened as yet in Cebu, as Capitol’s “all-out war” is still in its early stages. But signs that the situation will deteriorate are there. A hate campaign against “left-leaning” militants and armed rebels, for example, seems to be in place and that is dangerous considering the excesses emotionalism could spark.
I just hope then that the governor will maintain her composure in implementing her counter-insurgency plan and not be influenced by the hawkish stance being peddled by people that are now surrounding her. Because if the “all-out war” ever gets dirty or spin out of control, all the blame won’t be on the influence peddlers but on her.
Armed rebellion in Cebu province is relatively small compared to other areas of the country and is limited to some towns in the mid-north. In this sense, Gov. Erico Aumentado is even in a deeper bind considering the organization and reach of the insurgents in Bohol. There is no need for Garcia, then to be jumpy about the problem here.
I mean, the posturing against the insurgency might only distract the governor from her effort to spread development to the hinterlands---which, really, is the best antidote to a mainly peasant war being waged by the rebels now.
(khanwens@yahoo.com/ 0915-9228651/my blog: cebuano.wordpress.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 2, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
