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Monday, March 23, 2003
US support in Iraq war 'nothing personal': GMA
By Joshua Dancel
THE President on Saturday said her government's all-out support for the United States-led war against Iraq is nothing personal and actually has not placed the overseas Filipino workers' welfare at risk at all.
The President said her total support for the war was not motivated by any kind of hatred against the people of Iraq, but was in fact prompted by the country's own problem with terrorism down south.
"We are in fact one with the people of Iraq in their bid to freedom while we support the coalition forces fighting to get back the freedom they lost," the President said in her weekly radio address.
Contrary to the fears of many, the President said joining the Coalition of the Willing has not placed the 1.4 million OFWs in the Middles East at any risk.
"As we can clearly see these past few days, our being a member of the Coalition has not endangered our OFWs in the Middle East," she said.
Most of them, she said, are under the care of the Philippine Embassies, their employers, and the host governments, "so our families here need not worry on the plight of their loved ones" near the theater of conflict.
She said various communication measures have been implemented to maintain contacts with family members based in the area to allay fears arousing from the war in Iraq.
However, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that the Kuwaiti border near Iraq remains to be a danger zone for any nationality.
He assured, nevertheless, that all OFWs in and near the area have been relocated to safer grounds in coordination with the Middle East Preparedness Team (MEPT).
But opposition against the president's open support to the U.S.-led war has been mounting.
Some senators, called on Arroyo to temper her support for the U.S.-led military strike on Iraq, saying this will invite sympathy attacks by local extremists supportive of the Islamic state's Saddam Hussein.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel said allowing the country to become refueling centers for warplanes and ships will serve as invitation for such attacks.
Senator Teresa Aquino Oreta agreed that such "needless" support would only endanger peace-loving Filipinos, majority of whom reject the war against Iraq.
But if the use of the country's military facilities by US forces is inevitable, Pimentel added, then Arroyo should demand something in return.
Joining the bandwagon is former senator and education secretary Raul Roco who condemned the US-led war on Iraq and urged the youth and councilors in separate gatherings Saturday in Cebu to oppose it.
The presidential aspirant urged delegates to the 1st Cebu Youth Leaders Summit and the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) 5th Visayas Island Congress at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug to support the United Nations (UN) instead.
He said the UN is the first victim of the ongoing Middle East conflict and that there's no telling now what rich countries will do to poor countries on mere suspicion that they harbor terrorists.
"We are against Saddam. If he has to be replaced, who decides on it? Does the Holy Spirit come down and anoint countries for the job? We shall seek to continue the UN," Roco said.
"No to war, yes to the UN. No to Saddam, but yes to Bush? I don't think we can say that," he told the councilors.
Roco shared a vision of the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia as a "zone of peace and neutrality," throwing to the youth the responsibility of initiating its realization.
At the youth summit, an activity organized by Aksyon Kabataan, the youth arm of his Aksyon Demokratiko party, Roco encouraged delegates to use "research, talent and creativity" in improving their quality of life.
"Create ripples of hope that will create change. Be heard. Your voice is as strong as that of any politician," he told the gathering of mostly student leaders.
Hopping to the PCL gathering nearby, Roco urged councilors to stand for peace in the middle of the Iraq war.
"In legislation, put in mind that right is might, not the other way round. Rich nations should not be dictating the poor ones," he said. (with Ben Tesiorna of Sun.Star Davao and Lorenzo Niņal of Sun.Star Cebu)
(March 23, 2003 issue)
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