FVR: THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA & EDSA 25 (PLUS TAIWAN)- EMPOWERING THE FILIPINO PEOPLE
MANILA, FEBRUARY 28, 2011 (BULLETIN) By Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos – Last Friday (25 February), during the 25th Anniversary observance of our People Power Revolution of February, 1986, along EDSA, the above candid observations were overheard from various participants.
To me, these are valid lessons learned and we should therefore gain some wisdom from today's MENA uprisings, as much as to follow best practices from our 1986 and 2001 experiences at EDSA.
Bloody MENA uprisings
The eyes of the world, the Philippines included, were focused these past few days on TV-radio-social media reports on riotous street demonstrations in Libya, Tunisia, Bahrain, Iran, Yemen, and Egypt, not only because of the danger-filled happenings being shown (as if in a Hollywood thriller) or the masses of angry protesters (all ordinary people) involved.
On the part of the Philippines, with our thousands of overseas Filipino workers whose lives and jobs were at risk in those countries, our direct interest is the well-being, safety, or evacuation/repatriation of our OFWs.
Some cynical but wise mirons (onlookers) have said: "What good timing for the people of Egypt, Libya, and the rest of MENA to undertake their bloody uprisings these past three weeks, as if to re-enact live our own EDSA People Power Revolution (Philippine style) 25 years ago!
If our 1986 EDSA uprisings had been accompanied by violence, it might have been prolonged, become bloody, and even failed!
Libyan turmoil
According to CNN.com (22 February), "Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddaffy made a 40-second broadcast Tuesday morning to prove that he was still in charge, denying reports that he had fled the country.
"Speaking on state television in front of his Tripoli home, Ghaddaffy said he wanted to show people 'that I am still in Tripoli, not in Venezuela. Don't believe those dogs in media.' "
His quickie appearance came after warplanes and helicopter gunships the day before attempted to quell the revolt that captured Benghazi, the country's second city, thereby further enraging the rebel-protesters who eventually gained control of the eastern half of Libya. In key countries in the Arab League and in the UN, Libyan diplomats announced their defection from the regime, as ranking members resigned from the Ghaddaffy Cabinet. At least two fighter pilots who could no longer stomach the order to bomb the crowds around Tripoli's Green Square instead landed their planes in Malta in defiance of their superiors.
All of these erstwhile Ghaddaffy functionaries found "unacceptable" the vicious "genocide" of their own people.
Continued CNN.com: "Helicopters landed troops armed with automatic weapons and grenades in Tripoli's Green Square to scatter protesters. Loyalists have been using aerial tactics, along with men on the ground, to shoot indiscriminately into crowds."
MENA's missing component: A rebel military
In a recent interview with Fe Zamora of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (24 February), FVR asserted: "Any people power uprising will be protracted and bloody, with a highly uncertain ending, unless a faction of the security forces breaks away from the status quo and joins the protesters in the streets.
"Why are their people power uprisings bloody? Why are they protracted? What did we have in 1986 that they don't have? It was noted that these (MENAs) were marked by violence and a rising number of casualties in clashes between protesters and loyalists. What were sorely missing over there from the very outset are 'the rebel military units,' as we had in the Philippines."
Reported CNN's Ben Wedeman (22 February): "In eastern Libya, groups of armed civilians and opposition leaders appeared to be in firm control."
Wedeman was the first Western television correspondent to enter and report from Libya during that crisis. In the aftermath, Wedeman and CNN have been highly applauded by huge masses of Benghazi demonstrators.
There has been an exodus of foreigners from Libya overland through Tunisia and Egypt, as some more were vainly waiting for outbound commercial flights. The refugees included the production managers/staff of major oil companies.
Residents also reported thru social media that hundreds of mercenaries had been killed or captured while fighting for Ghaddaffy, and that much of the Army around Benghazi appears to have joined anti-government forces after the civilians wrested control.
International condemnation and outrage
The US has been struggling to evacuate its own citizens from Libya. Last 22 February, the Libyan government refused permission for a US charter flight intended for fleeing Americans to land in Tripoli. Last Wednesday, a chartered ferry loaded US citizens, including 35 Embassy members, in addition to other foreigners, and was set to move to Malta.
The US condemned the violence and called for a halt to the "unacceptable bloodshed." Last 24 February President Obama used truly strong language to condemn the military attacks on the protesters and called for "a unified international response."
Libya is the latest Arab nation to fall into turmoil since January's ouster of Tunisian strongman President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Similar protests toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last 12 February and have spread across MENA from Morocco to Bahrain.
The United Nations
Channelnewsasia.com (24 February) reported: "UN chief Ban Ki-moon demanded international action against attacks on civilians in Libya which have left hundreds dead. In a pointed warning to Libyan strongman Muammar Ghaddaffy, Ban said: "Those responsible for brutally shedding the blood of innocents must be punished. Libya is now at a dangerous juncture."
The UN Security Council (UNSC) this week also called for a stop to the bloodshed, the first time the UNSC held consultations regarding the revolts that have swept the Arab world since January.
The Arab League held an urgent summit last Tuesday to discuss Libya, according to Egypt's official news agency (21 February). Arab League Secretary-General Amre Moussa strongly called for an end to the violence, saying demands for reform, development, and change were the "legitimate rights" of the Arab people.
Libyan state television, however, cited that during a recent meeting with EU ambassadors, Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmudi blamed the upheaval on "terrorists and destructive plans" and stressed that Libya has the right to "take any measures" to protect its unity, stability, people, and resources.
Resolving the China-Philippines-Taiwan imbroglio
In this writer's humble opinion, the current imbroglio arising out of the P-Noy Administration's undue haste in the deportation of 14 Taiwanese to Mainland China could have been anticipated and prevented through proactive game-planning – where the worst-case scenario is assumed and appropriate courses of action are provided for in advance.
Indeed, it is deplorable that such a heated situation today should arise between two friendly and close neighbors that have hitherto been enjoying harmonious relations. The hardline positions of "no apology" (of Malacañang) and "Ship Home 3,000 Filipino Workers" (of Taipei) has endangered the economic synergy long existing between the Philippines and Taiwan.
The "One-China" policy should not have been invoked by the P-Noy Administration as the basis for that controversial deportation, because the real issue is "due process" in accordance with Philippine laws.
According to media reports, there was an existing court TRO on a petition for the writ of habeas corpus by the Taiwanese. So, why was this court order not implemented? We do not know the identity of the erring Philippine officials, but why not fire them or cause them to resign – for being irresponsible? Is this not better than an official apology?
All sides should remember that in 1949, the Philippines provided sanctuary to some 30,000 Chinese refugees belonging to the Kuomintang, while the majority of them fled to Taiwan. In due time, those who settled in the Philippines (even if they were "overstaying") – amidst our people's hospitality – nurtured their families and small businesses, producing eventually a valuable and progressive addition to the existing Filipino-Chinese community in our country. Some of the "overstaying" later moved to Taiwan and became even more prosperous.
We did the same favor for some 400,000 boat people from the old French Indo-China starting in 1975. A good number of them migrated to the West, also to become more prosperous.
On top of these new MENA, Asian, and Philippine problems, hasn't the price of oil risen 20% to U$120 per barrel?
We are all getting hit!
So, why are some in Taiwan threatening to deport 3,000 Filipino workers? Isn't the Asian culture "to prosper thy neighbor? Where now is Asia's vaunted harmony and peaceful development?
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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