LISTENING TO OUR CAFÉ GUESTS ABOUT AMERICAN MILITARY PRESENCE IN MINDANAO

By Dann Pantoja

Since the opening of our café last May 7th, 2007 we've met various people who love to discuss peace and conflict issues.  The current hot topic is about the U.S. military presence in Mindanao.  Their views are interesting.  Many of them come for coffee with their laptops and often show us weblinks that support their views.  Some of them made me promise to make this Analysis page of our website reflect a genuine conversation from different points of view.

Here are some perspectives we've heard so far--

::  Those who claim they represent the view of Davao's majority population do not like the presence of the U.S. military forces in Mindanao, especially in the Greater Davao Region (i.e., Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental).  They agree that "terrorism is a problem in Mindanao, but the American soldiers are only making the violent situation get worse."  Furthermore, "the Americans attract more terrorists!" these old-time Davaoeňos say.  They are convinced that the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are doing a good job at protecting the Greater Davao Region from terrorists.  The statements of Mayor R. Duterte, as quoted in MindaNews, reflect this particular view.

::  Many American Evangelical missionaries who visited us think that the U.S. is doing Mindanao a favor by sending their military forces to help stop the spread of terrorism.  They often mention how certain American military elements actually do medical and dental missions to advance the cause of peace and development in the island, which is well-documented by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.  These Evangelical missionaries believe that peace and order is needed so that more missionaries like them can be sent "to do evangelism and church planting" throughout Mindanao and Southeast Asia.  A couple of them even questioned the Christian commitment of Peacebuilders Community because of our criticism of American foreign policy in the Philippines as expressed below.

::  There are academics who try their best to present an objective analysis of the U.S. military presence here based on their understanding of the geo-political dynamics in Asia.  They discuss why it is important for the United States to be in Southeast Asia, particularly in Mindanao, at this stage of the post-911 global reality.  In their understanding, the U.S. is protecting their interests in Asia Pacific vis-a-vis "international terrorism and China's growing military ambitions."  When asked where we can find a written version of such eloquent presentation, one of them proudly referred to an article published by his friend who's with Asia Times.

::  My favorite group is a bunch of young professionals who graduated from my alma mater--the University of the Philippines.  They insist that the key towards understanding the issue of American military presence in Mindanao is to trace back our history of resistance against American colonial forces.  For so long, the Americans have been imposing their will upon the people of Mindanao.  In their Pacification Campaign during the 1900s, 20,000 Moros were killed by American soldiers.  It is through this historical lenses that many Mindanaons see the American military presence in 2007 as déjà vu.  Interestingly, these group of young people are more interested in exploring the possibility of a non-violent revolution than the bloody revolution that traumatized their parents in the past few decades.

::  Then there's this tourist from the United Kingdom who insists that I read his organization's view about the deployment of U.S. military troops in the Philippines.  He avers that the real problem is neo-liberal globalization and that the United States has appointed itself as the guardian of this oppressive ideology.  He gently persuades me to re-consider an "international socialist alternative in envisioning a future where just-peace will be realised in our world."  My Irish friend left the Philippines last week.

Is your point of view represented above?  If so, you'll find friends at the Peacebuilders Community Café.  If not, come over and we'll listen to you and we'll add your view on this page.

AMERICAN AID PACKAGE AND THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE

Fatmawati Salapuddin, chairperson of the Bangsamoro Women Solidarity Forum, expressed her concern about a crucial aspect of the conflict in Mindanao.  "The most serious battle I'm fighting as a mother," she said, "is the battle between the culture of violence and the culture of peace.  This struggle is happening in my children's hearts and minds."  She said this during an interactive session at the Sulu Solidarity Conference in Jolo, Sulu last March 7, 2006.

The women in that group were wise and humble enough to admit the domestic and the local sources of violence in their respective communities in Sulu, Mindanao.

But they also talked about the intrusion of the Philippine and American military personnel into their communities through Balikatan.

Balikatan is a joint military exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and some elements of US military forces in the Pacific.  Their war games were conducted early 2006 in Sulu, the southern archipelago in the Philippines.  The children in this archipelago saw those soldiers with their state-of-the-art weaponry.

"The warrior appearance of those Americans becomes the idealized images in our children's consciousness and active violence becomes a dream for our children!" says Fatmawati.  She cried for help in behalf of the mothers who were with her: "We're tired of war.  We're tired of fighting.  Please stop bringing war into our land."

The American presence in Mindanao is a part of an agreement between Washington and Malacanang with regards to an aid package.  Three years ago the Bush Administration gave the Arroyo Government a set of promises that was to be released after Malacanang complies with certain conditions set by Washington.


Among other things, Arroyo must remain to be a loyal ally of the United States and that the Philippines must support American foreign policies, such as Bush's "War On Terror."  The Philippine Government is now acquiring the greater part of this aid package.

Here are those promises: 

 1.  Counter terrorism equipment and training: $30 million in new grant aid for equipment and training
      of Armed Forces of the Philippines targeted at capabilities for countering terrorist groups within Philippines.

 2.  Development assistance to conflict areas: $30 million in new bilateral development assistance for
      Mindanao and support for the peace process with the MILF, as appropriate.

 3.  Establishment of combat engineering unit: $25 million in new grant assistance to train and equip a
      combat engineering unit and provide other military needs in the war on terror. The engineering unit will be
      able to do civic action and humanitarian projects in conflict zones.

 4.  U.S. military support to Philippine counter-terrorism operations: agreement to provide U.S. military
      support to Armed Forces of the Philippines-led operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group.

 5.  Support to Philippine Military mobility: 20 UH-1H helicopters, as they become available and funding for
      refurbishment and transport is secured; an additional 10 UH-1H helicopters to be provided to ensure sufficient 
      spare parts.

 6.  Comprehensive security review: launching of a comprehensive review of Philippine security needs and how 
      the United States can best support Philippine military modernization and reform.

 7.  U.S. defense goods and services: up to $10 million in presidential draw down authority for equipment, 
      spare parts and maintenance.

 8.  Major non-NATO ally status: commitment to designate the Philippines a major non-NATO ally (MNNA) to 
      allow U.S. and Philippines to work together on military research and development and give Philippines 
      greater access to American defense equipment and supplies.

 9.  Reciprocal presidential visit: acceptance by President Bush of President Arroyo's invitation to visit Manila
      in October 2003.

10. Remittance facilitation initiative: launching of an initiative to facilitate and reduce transaction fees on
      remittances from overseas Filipinos, which could save Filipino workers as much as an estimated $300 
      million annually.

11.  Generalized system of preferences benefits: agreement for tariff-free, GSP benefits to 8 specific 
       products requested by the Philippines.

12.  Veterans benefits: commitment to support legislation extending new benefits to veterans lawfully residing 
       in the United States, including: full rate service connected disability compensation; eligibility for burial at 
       national cemeteries and burial benefits for New Scouts; full rate dependence and indemnity compensation 
       (DIC) to the survivors of New Scouts, Commonwealth Army veterans and guerrillas; and comprehensive 
       health care eligibility to Commonwealth Army veterans and New Scouts.  Commitment to support 
       reauthorization for the regional veterans affairs office in manila.  $500,000 in medical equipment to the 
       veterans memorial medical center in Quezon City to improve medical care for Filipino veterans in 
       the Philippines. 

Out of the twelve items in this list of "goodies" from America, only two will truly benefit the Filipino people—items number 10 and 11.  The rest are about building a strong American military subsidiary in Southeast Asia using the Philippines as a hub.  This has been the historical dynamics of the relationship between the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines for the past 100 years.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will, no doubt, continue to maintain this relationship.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon will have a stronger influence, if not control, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.  The U.S. will continue to have dominance over the natural resources of the Philippines.  The American people will always support their government's militaristic policies because it protects their "Great American Dream".  

Because of these dynamics in the history of RP-US relations (a chronic illness!), the common people in the Philippines will continue to suffer.  The efforts of the various civil society movements who are teaching our people to embrace a culture of peace will experience more hardships in peacebuilding.

The Philippine society in general, and Mindanao in particular, will continue to have a gun-oriented sense of security, an aspect of the culture of violence effectively exported by America to the rest of the world.

This is the global aspect of the struggle waged by many mothers in Mindanao like Fatmawati Salapuddin.