Yes to A US Forward Base in the Philippines

            Osama Bin Laden is dead. Osama is the supreme leader and founder of the Al Qaeda organization. It is a an Islamic terrorist group that was founded in the middle part of 1988 with the purpose of putting an end to military presence of Americans in the Peninsula of Arabia and in the Middle East countries. It also aims to overthrow corrupt and inefficient Arab regimes, put an end to Arabian governments that are lacking in religious faith, stop the support of Americans to Israel, and restore to Muslim rule Kashmir and East Timor.

            Tactics used by this terrorist group include hijackings, kidnappings, killings, use of suicide bombers or attacks, and enlisting members online.

            In the Philippines, majority of the terrorism activities in the country were perpetuated by Islamic terrorist groups such as the Moro National Liberation Front, Rajah Sulaiman Movement, Jemaah Islamiyah, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Abu Sayyaf. However,  previous to these groups, different organizations were already terrorizing the Philippines.  Prominent among these was the New People’s Army and other communist organizations. The New People’s Army was founded in 1969.

            Osama Bin Laden is just a leader of one terrorist group, nevertheless a global one.  There are still hundreds of terrorist groups aside from Al Qaeda scattered around the world. Some of these are already in the Philippines way, way back even before Osama became an adult.  For me, it is sufficient to say that terrorism will always be here no matter where we are, what we do, and what we believe in. There will always be groups of people discontented, disillusioned, disappointed and frustrated enough to band together to promote an idea however erroneous the idea is.

 Our beloved land has been besieged by foreign occupations and domestic terrorists since the earliest times that I strongly believe it is folly for us not to allow the United States to put up a forward base in our territories just because of a threat or just a possibility of a threat.  It is like being afraid to work inside a high-rise building because an earthquake might strike and one might be trapped inside. One chooses to go hungry instead. One is afraid to go ride on a plane because it might crash. One forfeits the opportunity to see other places and to experience different culture.

            We even have political terrorism. Just remember  the Maguindanao massacre and the  martial law disappearances.     

Just imagine the windfall it will bring the economy of that region. It will be able to provide jobs to suffering penniless Filipinos. Some of them may not even be forced to enslave themselves working as overseas Filipino workers. Parents will not be separated from each others, and children will not be left abandoned. It might strengthen family life.

            The Philippines just need to draw up terms of agreement with the United States before they can be allowed to put up a forward base here.  They tried to occupy us before, they put up bases here before, they were kicked out, and again, they want to go back. It just shows that they really need the Philippines as a strategic site. It is up to us on how we can get value from our land.

            First, the Philippines should impose that a reasonable number of Filipino citizens residing in the Philippines should be employed in  the forward base at all times. Second, the Americans should provide assistance to the region they are in on a regular basis such as providing medical or dental care, help in the building of schools and houses, and other goodwill.  Third, the land they will use is not free. They have to pay for its use. Fourth, American offenders if any, should be placed under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Court. Fifth, America should help in  securing the safety  of the nation’s citizens. Sixth, length of tenancy is limited. It is dependent on the Philippine government if it will extend the base’  tenure or not.

            Likewise, the Philippine government should be more vigilant and updated in the search for suspected terrorists.  

            Our land is not a peaceful land like Switzerland but thankfully not a chaotic land like Israel.   We will never go far if we are always afraid.  There are ways to conquer being afraid.  The most potent is to pray for our land.

The End of Osama

      It was September 11,2001 late afternoon when a tragic story happened in my life the newsflash of an airstrike in the United States of America blocked the airwaves of my favorite  show “The Justice League”  I didn’t  know what happened to the fight of Superman and Luthor along with the justice league all because of this catchy news.

       However I never knew this was much more interesting since it involved our country. It came back to my mind that the our beloved country have been an Allies of the United States since the end of world war II and now that the US have been facing terrorist attack I thought that our country would also been in danger since that allies. So I focused on the news knowing that a jet was hijacked by those ruthless terrorist to redirect the plane into the twin tower of the World Trade Center, in New York City and the Pentagon, outside Washington D.C. they have destroyed the famous building and unprecedented killings of more than 3,000 innocent lives shakes the world to its core.

      Honestly I thought that this is just another scene from the famous films of the “Men in black or End of the world” but this time it was real, you can hear the mourning and weeping of people outside the building, the shocking story that almost made me cry and forget the attention of the other show that it has caught my attention what would be the next.

      Back to my favorite show was the end of the fight which looses my interest, anyway after just an hour the news is back again and reporting that the US military troops has identified the group of Al Qaeda terrorist group which is headed by Osama Bin Laden of Saudi Arabia. The following news is even more terrifying and annoying when one of the US military forces has declared an “Al Qaeda all out war” to destroy the terrorist so as to prevent another terrorist attacked. And this are all in my mind since the news has prevented me from watching my favorite show of the “Justice League” which is another act of war.  Osama Bin Laden has been the world’s most dangerous enemy since then he has become famous for his terrifying holocaust.

      I thought that it is even more absurd to have a military check point on major streets as I passed by in many areas of Cavite and Bulacan to visit friends and family during that time, and this causes a heavy traffic to many commuters all over Metro Manila and nearby provinces.  Since then the Philippines has been in the watch list of the US military forces and sometimes reported that the plans of Al Qaeda terrorist attack has been created in our country and the Philippines is the practice ground of t this group.

      Years went by but the people of America still remembered the tragic story in the Pentagon and World Trade Center. But here in our country life goes on the way it was and sometimes it is still on the news. Not much effect and disturbance have been infected here although sometimes reports of bombings and threats of some sorts of terrorist acts on isolated areas in Mindanao have been on the news. 

    But finally here he comes again; Osama reportedly kill and wounded in a gunshot to his head and chest. I believe the death of the man has brought me and the world a triumphant and victorious celebration of the end of the Multi-millionaire Osama Bin Laden. In my mind I know that the US military has kept their promise to continuously pursue the hunting of the very dangerous man and this spectacle has divided the feelings of celebrating and alarming sense in my heart since the group Al Qaeda is still on the loose to get revenge.

      The effect of his death in our country is not much bothering but boring and yet the continuity of the risk is still there for we know that until the total annihilation and destruction of the group, the world peace still remains unrest. Some even speculated that he is still alive and the reports are faked, but never mind. Wherever he is, dead or alive, I hope he’ll be accepted in hell since he has no place to live here on earth. For now I just have to rest and watch my favorite show.

     

On Osama Bin Laden's Death and How it Impacts the Philippines

I recall the telephone ringing very early in the morning.  I picked up the phone and it was my sister on the line.  She asked me if I was watching the news.  I replied that I wasn’t that we were asleep.  She told me to go and watch because there were airplanes which rammed into the Twin Towers in New York City!

At this time I lived on the small Pacific island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia where there was NO live television.  But thank goodness for small favors, we had very good internet access.  So, I went on the BBC website and the CNN website and sure enough the two airplanes that flew into the twin towers was front and center news with live video streaming of the top floor of the building in flames.  And then the Twin Towers collapsed.  That was September 11, 2001.

Al-Qaeda was said to be responsible for this series of coordinated suicide attacks on the United States.  The terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jets, 2 of which crashed into the Twin Towers.  The third airplane crashed into The Pentagon in Arlington, VA and the fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, PA which was thought to target either the Capitol Building or the White House in nearby Washington DC.  There were no survivors.  A professor from my college was on one of the flights from Boston, MA that crashed into the twin towers.  This was a very sad day which shocked the entire world and prompted for a man-hunt for Osama bin Laden who was the No. 1 on the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List.

Fast forward to 1 May, 2011.  Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al-Qaeda organization, was shot and killed on a raid in a secure, private residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan in a covert operation authorized by the US President Barack Obama.  Whilst this is indeed good news, I believe that this was too easy a death for a man purported to be responsible for a total of between 80,000 and 1.2 million civilian deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia between 2001 and 2007.  (Wikipedia)  In any which case, I do hope that his soul burns in hell for all the misery he has caused in this world.

Bin Laden’s death is a major event which may yet prompt some cataclysmic events worldwide.  All the nations are increasing their vigilance.  Even here in the Philippines there have been a lot of troop movements and security to all public places has been increased.

Unbeknownst to many people, the Philippines are home to 3 terrorist alliances- the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Raja Solaiman Movement (RSM).  RSM is the radical fringe of the Balik-Islam movement, which literally means “return to Islam”.  Members call themselves “reverts” and not “converts” for 2 reasons.  First, they maintain that all humans are born free of sin into Islam, but misled by parents or guardians they may be brought up in other traditions.  When they revert to Islam, they are cleansed of sin.  Secondly, they argue that Islam is the Philippines original religion which was reversed by the Spanish colonialism.

So how do the Philippines become associated with terrorism?  Well, the Philippines are the world’s top exporter of labor with Saudi Arabia as the number one destination.  Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) went into construction jobs in the Middle East.  From 10% in 1975, the region absorbed 70% of OFW in 1977 and 90% in 1981.  By the end of 2001, there were 915, 239 Filipinos in Saudi Arabia and about 1.5 million throughout the region.  (ICG)  Many of these workers either hail from the Muslim religion and some non-Muslims have been converted as there are incentives given by the Saudi government if they convert.

In 1990 a group of Filipinos based in Saudi Arabia established the Islamic Studies Call and Guidance (ISCAG).  Its stated objectives were to solicit Saudi donations (Zakaf) for the publication of missionary materials and to establish charitable institutions and Islamic centers in the Philippines.  ISCAG’s key patron is Saudi Sheikh Hamoud Muhammad al-Lahim, who works closely with its Balik-Islam founding president, Bienvenido “Kahlid” Evaristo, to produce a steady stream of Islamic tracts in English and Tagalog.  (ICG)  The materials are printed in Saudi Arabia and are distributed free of charge here in the Philippines.  It is the main source of Islamic literature in the country. 

Evaristo’s strong personal ties with the Saudi establishment ensure that the ISCAG is the best-endowed convert organization in the Philippines today and the motivational force of the Balik-Islam movement.  ISCAG promotes a minimalist form of salafi Islam, defined most powerfully by what it is not, including NOT tolerant of Christianity, Western Materialist lifestyles, and local Islamic cultural practices.

A prominent figure in the Balik-Islam movement and the head of the RJS movement is Ahmed Islam Santos.  In 1999 Santos went to Mecca for the Hajj and consolidated his Arab connections.  He became associated with Mohammad Jamal Khalifa (brother in law of Osama bin Laden) which boosted his stature and access to funds.  Santos is behind some of the terrorist training camps in Mindanao.  After a series of bombings and other acts of terrorism, Santos was arrested.  However, his movement continues and is considered to be dangerous.

The Philippines needs to continue to monitor the movement of these groups.  Killing the leader of the most prominent group of terrorism may give rise to another group taking over and performing vengeance.  The government has taken steps to improve the safety of its citizens but this is not enough.  The government needs to institute anti-terrorism laws which will reduce law-enforcement shortcuts and incidences of false arrests and bail-jumping which are so common in this country.  The Judicial process also need to be accelerated and ensure that the trials are transparent and the evidence made public.  The country has taken some steps but need to act further to help stop these acts of violence by terrorist groups.