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Workers to take lead in the month-long protest against Bush
The militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno today said that they will launch series of actions starting next week in preparation for the visit of US President George W. Bush. KMU said that the month-long activities will start on September 16, the 12th year anniversary of the junking of the US-RP Military Bases Treaty. “We already started the campaign during the Peoples Camp Out against World Trade Organization last September 9-10.”
“Workers are set to lead local protests against the world’s chief terrorist and plunderer. Bush deserves widespread condemnation fit for an international criminal. The war against terror that he unleashed killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. The damage caused by weapons of mass destruction used by the US military in its global war against terror is far more destructive than the September 11 attacks. Bush is responsible for countless war crimes and atrocities against mankind,” said KMU Secretary General Joel Maglunsod.
“We will take the anti-Bush campaign to factories, workplaces and urban and rural poor communities as part of our national anti-imperialist program. Mobilizations will take place from factory-based to nationwide levels. All kinds of legitimate actions will be encouraged. Along with this, we will persevere with the campaign for Arroyo’s immediate ouster or resignation. Like Bush, Arroyo has her share of crimes against the Filipino people.”
In the home front, US’ most reliable ally, the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government, readily whipped up a nationwide drive to suppress the people. Militarization campaign heightened under the guise of anti-terrorism efforts. Harsh measures were done against militant groups opposing oppressive foreign and local policies. Arroyo also embarked on a demonization and suppression campaign against the revolutionary movement, legitimate anti-imperialist movements and known patriotic leader like Prof. Jose Maria Sison, the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People’s Army, and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. All these happened with the constant prodding of the United States government.”
Maglunsod said that local protests against Bush are expected to be bolder than the rallies during former US President Bill Clinton’s visit in 1994. “Over the decades, US and Philippine foreign affairs epitomized a master-lackey relationship. This distorted diplomatic relations brought the country in a deeper quagmire of crisis and exploitation. We cannot allow this to continue. We will everything in our capacity to reverse the condition,” Maglunsod concluded.
