Junk VFA!

 

Moro group slams US officials’ visit in ARMM; fears Balikatan anew

COTABATO CITY – The Suara Bangsamoro (Voice of the Bangsamoro) here staged a picket rally in front of the Office of the Regional Governor (ORG) compound following the visit of two (2) officials from United States Embassy on March 04 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Bai Ali Indayla, the group’s national secretary-general, said that her group learned that US envoy to the Philippines Kristie Kenny will be sending officials to talk to members of Regional Legislative Assembly of the autonomous region (RLA-ARRM) on its opposition stance on Balikatan.

“The RLA’s position contradicts with that of the Governor of ARMM. We really appreciate the courageous move of RLA to defy Balikatan for the benefit of its constituents. But, we smell something fishy with this visit. We fear another round of Balikatan is systematically taking place,” Indayla said.

lndayla stressed that ‘the Arroyo administration permitted the US government to take pleasure in using the territory and taking advantage of rich resources of Philippine soil while the Filipino people especially the Bangsamoro suffer from violations of human rights committed by American soldiers.’

Further, the group reaffirms call for the complete withdrawal of US Special Operations Forces in the country ‘like what Filipinos did in 1991.’

Indayla challenges the ARMM assembly not to be deceived by the sugar-coated tongue of US officials who were well-trained in psychological warfare.

“We hope that RLA will stay firm on its position. The Bangsamoro people need officials that could survive fighting for the right to self determination, ancestral domain and national sovereignty,” Indayla emphasized.

Chants such as ‘Unahin ang Bayan, Huwag ang Dayuhan’ (Country first, not the foreigners) and ‘US Imperialist, No. 1 Terrorist’ rock the ORG compound while the group continuously calls all Bangsamoro people to persist in battling for the country’s independence and strong resistance to US intervention.