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Thursday, July 11, 2002
Militants hit GMA for next Balikatan
By Jonathan Fernandez
THE militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Wednesday attacked President Arroyo and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with their announcements of another Balikatan military exercises in Sulu.
"Workers are ready to exhaust all efforts just to stop the upcoming Balikatan in Sulu and Arroyo's appalling puppetry to the United States government," said KMU secretary for federation affairs Joel Maglunsod.
Maglunsod said that Arroyo must be urgently stopped from her overly agitated promotion of Balikatan and US military intervention.
"The only way for Arroyo to be stopped is for her to be ousted from Malacanang. The people's resistance against US intervention will be just one of the highlights of the people's widespread protests during her SONA on July 22," he said.
According to the labor leader, there is no need for new exercises, additional US troops and military equipment because there is no public clamor for it.
"Arroyo just can't get enough of Balikatan. Another joint military exercises in Sulu would be an awful overkill. Arroyo and her cluster of military advisers are the only ones very keen about the conduct of more US-led military training," he said.
Maglunsod further said that more people are actually calling for the immediate pullout of US forces in the country.
He also denounced the extended stay of more than 380 US troops in Basilan beyond July 31 to administer the $1 million humanitarian package provided by the US government for socio-economic reforms in Basilan.
"People in Basilan needs more than roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects built by US soldiers. They need livelihood, higher wages and improved living conditions. Like most people in the country, Basilans are deprived even with the most basic social services because of the government's constant failure in addressing their urgent economic concerns," said Maglunsod. |
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