Militarization in
Samar confirms "counterinsurgency" purpose of MCC assistance
Press Release
By NDF-Eastern Visayas
October 13, 2010
The National
Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today slammed 8th Infantry
Division chief Maj. Gen. Mario Chan for launching widespread military
operations under the extended Oplan Bantay Laya, and for coercing the
local government in Western Samar to support the Aquino government's
"counterinsurgency" campaign. "It is clear Gen. Chan is asserting
military supremacy in making the inappropriate and insulting demand to
the Western Samar provincial government to increase and expand the
"mobility corridors" so the 8th ID troops could pursue the New
People's Army," said NDF-EV spokesperson Fr. Santiago Salas. "This
proves the government's so-called development projects, especially
under the aegis of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, are not really
beneficial to the people but in support of the "counterinsurgency"
campaign. It is in fact the military that is calling the shots, and
the militarist solution to social unrest lurks behind the
US-funded
Samar Road and other alleged development projects. While pretending to
aid the people of Samar, the more than $200 million MCC development
assistance is actually serving as the Trojan horse of militarization."
Fr. Salas also said
the ongoing militarization in Northern and
Western Samar belie the Aquino government's promises of peace and
development. "Human rights violations continue under the extended
Oplan Bantay Laya, and are bound to mount after January 2011 when the
Aquino government pursues a new scheme in the mold of the US
Counterinsurgency Guide. Gen. Chan's pronouncements the military
ushers in peace and development are thus nothing more than
sugarcoating militarization. Since August in fact, wide areas of the
countryside in northern, western and eastern
Samar are now warzones where the military violates human rights
and international humanitarian law with impunity. These include areas
in the Western
Samar towns of Jiabong, Motiong, San Jorge, Catbalogan, Gandara,
Paranas, San Jose de Buan and Matuguinao, on to Las Navas and other
Northern Samar towns, as well as Jipapad in
Eastern Samar. The 8th
ID troops encamp in civilian communities, putting these in danger, in
gross violation of international humanitarian law. Troops from the
52nd IB, 63rd IB, 34th IB, Scout Rangers and other military and
paramilitary units have also been accused by civilians of summary
executions, torture, harassment, indiscriminate firing, robbery,
destruction of property and other violations."
The NDF-EV
spokesperson called on the local government, Church, media, human
rights advocates and other sectors to expose and oppose the
militarization of Samar and to reject the US Counterinsurgency Guide
and its MCC component. "The victims of human rights violations
must stand up and demand justice and redress for the decade-long
ordeal caused by Oplan Bantay Laya. The people must unite, expose and
oppose the militarist and fascist solutions being railroaded by the
Aquino government as directed by the US COIN Guide. If it wants to
show its genuine concern for the people, civilian authority must
confront and reject the fascist imposition of military supremacy. The
path to genuine peace and development is not that made by the few and
by the interests of
US imperialism; it is
made by the people's struggle for justice, national freedom and
democracy."
