Role for RP

There can be no doubt about it. Filipinos are firmly on the side of those who are against terrorism, whether the offenders are Americans or Afghans or Pakistanis. The attack on the Pentagon in Washington and the World Trade Center in New York were acts of terrorism against Americans. But in cobbling our official policy statements we must emphasize that had these been committed against Afghans or Pakistanis or any other nation in the world, we would have been equally indignant. We would pronounce our solidarity not with any particular nation but with all civilized nations. Such a pronouncement gives greater dignity to our alliance with our former colonizer instead of the knee jerk reaction to be always on the side of Americans regardless of the issue. The objection of some of our kababayans can be assuaged by the use of better semantics.

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I was surprised why the question should be asked on what role the Philippines could play in an American-led war against terrorism. Indeed, the international crisis presents us with a unique opportunity to play a significant role. That role has been in the making for years now among groups of individuals who have advocated for creating interreligious bridges in the region. Had Lakas-NUCD-UMDP members been more serious about their party platform, they would have seen immediately the role the Philippines can play in the present international crisis.

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Happily, as president of the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP, Speaker Jose de Venecia made the right pitch on behalf of his party when he proposed that the Philippines lead a diplomatic initiative for an anti-terrorist agreement among Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Such an agreement would be the region’s worthy contribution to the world-wide coalition of countries against terrorism now being put together by President George Bush.

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I understand that the Arroyo government has already approved the proposal. It was taken up in the recent National Security Council meeting and received unanimous support from President Gloria Arroyo, Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, Secretary Alberto Romulo and other cabinet members and legislators in a subsequent Palace caucus.

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Without having to wait for the United States to define the kind of war it is going to wage, the Philippines would be making a significant contribution to the war against terrorism in this part of the world. It does not have to wait for any cue from Western nations. In such an effort , the Philippines acts as a sovereign nation with an understanding of its limited but important capabilities. "The agreement would commit the signatories to share intelligence on terrorist activities; maintain tighter controls of their frontiers to stop the flow of weapons and terrorists across borders; and perhaps undertake joint peace-keeping operations from time to time", de Venecia said.

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Malaysia, Indonesia and the Phiippines contain the great majority of East Asia’s Muslim population. Almost 90% of Indonesia’s 210 million people are Muslim while over one half of Malaysia’s 23 million are Muslim. In the predominantly Christian Philippines, there is a smaller but sizeable 4 percent to 5 percent Muslim population out of a total of 76 million. The significance of an anti-terrorist agreement among the three countries comes from the generally moderate character of Islam in the region. But vital information can also be accessed because Muslims from the three countries were among those who were recruited in the Soviet-Afghan war. They are said to be familiar with the Taliban government having fought on their side. "Such an agreement would represent East Asia sufficiently in the global terrorist coalition that the US intends to lead." De Venecia added. .

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I understand that the De Venecia proposal was approved in the recemt National Security Council meeting. "An antiterrorist agreement negotiated now will certainly inhibit the movement and the activities of Islamic extremists in Southeast Asia; and enable our countries to deal cooperatively with any terrorist incident that may occur not only in our territories but in the rest of the world if these should originate from here." De Venecia said.

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Other initiatives . The Speaker, as President of the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP has had several diplomatic initiatives through interreligious dialogues that have been in place even before the September 11 tragedy. Among these was his recent visit to Taiwan for the inauguration of the Chung Tai Chan Buddhist monastery in Puli and the start of a Christian-Buddhist dialogue. The Buddhist sister His Chien Yen who worked hard to create the bridge, She is in Manila and in an interview told this column that her Grand Master, Abbot Shih Weichueh is presently organizing an interreligious conference in Asia when anti-terrorism can be expected to be on top of the agenda. The time and venue will still be decided but contacts are already being made among religious leaders in the region.

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Message from the Grand Mufti. Meanwhile, Saudi’s highest religious leader, .His Eminence Sheikh Abdulazizz bin Abdullah bin Mohammad Al-Alsheikh, the Grand Mufti (Jurisconsult) of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Commission of Senior Ulamas and Educational Research Administration, (the Roman Catholic equivlent of the Pope) issued a statement to reiterate "that the recent attacks in US as well as the hijacking of airplanes, scaring of secure people and killing of innocent lives are all forms of oppression and injustice. He said these kinds of actions are forbidden in Islam and considered major sins.

"Be it known to all nations and peoples, Moslem and non-Moslems alike, that the attacks in New York and Washington constituted serious incidents which have resulted in the loss of thousand of lives. These actions are prohibited in the Islamic law and not at all part of the religion itself and do not conform with the fundamentals of shariah law", the Grand Mufti stated.

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He called on ulamas (religious leaders) of the Islamic ummah (nations) to speak the truth about these kinds of incidents and to emphasize to the whole world that the law of God and the Islamic religious do not tolerate these. He requests all those behind all forms of media who accuse the Muslims and attempt to discredit the glorious religion of Islam with baseless accusations, to refrain from desecrating it. A Muslim well-versed in his religion and practicing the book of Allah and the teachings of the prophet Mohammad should stay away from such activities to avoid Allah’s anger and the consequences resulting thereat like damages and prejudice, the statement continued..

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The Grand Mufti’s statement came in the wake of media coverage that would mis represent Muslim teachings in their rash to condemn the evil deeds of terrorists using the religion as their cover. At the same time, more enlightened journalists are taking up the cudgels for more balanced reporting.

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Expanded Perspective. From my e-mail comes this instructive report for a more expanded perspective.

In the immediate aftermath of the US terror attacks, some media outlets, commentators and columnists wre quick to take at face value the images of Palestinians celebrating in the streets. Although these were, according to CNN’s Mike Hanna, ‘isolated; and many had gone over to the US consulate in east Jerusalem to lay flower wreaths in sympathy with the victims, the death of context in the protrayal of these images has virtually maligned an entire people and may impact on their future and the unfolding course of events.

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My e-mail is [email protected] or [email protected].