A Declaration of Unity forged by more than 1,000 representatives of political blocks, political parties, coalitions, and peoples’ organizations during the formal launching of the "Gathering for Peace Coalition," Ellinwood Church, Malate, Manila, February 12, 2002.

INSPIRED by our nation's heroes, martyrs and patriots who led and showed the example of being true Filipinos in our nation's struggle for national liberation and sovereignty against foreign military occupation and colonization;

ALARMED that President Arroyo's administration is not undertaking concrete pro-Filipino reforms to stop the continuing onslaught of the forces of globalization -- the IMF-WB, WTO -- against the country's national sovereignty;

REALIZING that the Philippines has now become the second front of the so-called U.S. war on terrorism after Afghanistan, with the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) being used as the Trojan horse of U.S. military forces in the Philippines;

AWARE of the historical and strategic military significance of the Philippines to U.S. control of the Asia-Pacific region, that such an interest is but part of a larger campaign for the U.S. to further secure its sown interests and huge investments in the region;

COGNIZANT of the fact that the presence of the American combat forces in Philippine soil near our predominantly-Muslim neighboring countries unduly creates tensions in Southeast Asia and compromises the ability of the Philippines to foster better relations with these countries and seek a peaceful solution to the Mindanao problem with the help of the Organization of Islamic Countries;

CONSCIOUS of the continuing interest of the U.S. to secure basing and staging operations in the Philippines, and that this is what the current deployment of U.S. forces will eventually lead to, using the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) as the U.S.' trojan horse, and also preparing the Mutual Logistical Supply Arrangement (MLSA) for this purpose;

REJECTING the rationalization of both governments of the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America to downplay the deployment of U.S. forces on Basilan and Zamboanga as mere 'training exercises';

KNOWING that the Balikatan exercises have become the camouflage for actual combat operations in Mindanao, particularly in Basilan and Zamboanga;

SHOCKED that the decision to "internationalize" the solution to what should be a local police problem in a very limited area has created for the Philippines an image of war, instability and helplessness, driving away in the process thousands of potential tourists and investors and thus derailing very economic process that the Administration is ironically using as the excuse for the entry of American combat forces;

CONSCIOUS of the rise of incidents of human rights violations and the degradation of our women attendant to the military operations and continued U.S. military presence, which continue to be legalized with the one-sided agreements like the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty, the Military Assistance Agreement and the Visiting Forces Agreement, all of which need to be abrogated as they have ceased to be relevant in the post-Cold War order;

APPALLED by President Arroyo's lack of transparency and casual disregard for the nation's sovereignty in favor of expediency in resolving the Abu Sayyaf and other peace and order problems;

CERTAIN that the involvement of U.S. troops in the anti-Abu Sayyaf operations will compound, not hasten, the solution of the problem, because the presence of U.S. troops assaults the sensitivities of our Muslim compatriots who have long been offended by the inimical acts of the U.S. against the Arab and Islamic world;

BELIEVING that the return of U.S. troops is dividing instead of uniting the nation as it reopens old wounds from our colonial past;

ASSERTING that a purely military approach will never solve the problem and that the solution must include the socio-economic uplift of the Bangsamoro and indigenous peoples' rights to self-determination;

BELIEVING in sovereignty and self-determination as basic rights of a people and that this is integral to their empowerment;

AFFIRMING the right of nations and people to exercise control over their destiny;

UPHOLDING the legacy of generations of our people spanning centuries that have struggled and given their lives for independence, freedom and democracy;

DETERMINED to unify the different pluralist forces in the country to complete the age-old battle against foreign domination and foreign intervention which continue to be internal and external constraints to genuine self-determination;

WE, of various religious beliefs and political persuasions, come together from all over the country to forge the broadest unity and to affirm a common commitment to defend Philippine national sovereignty against foreign intervention;

WE commit ourselves to vigorously oppose the current U.S. military operations and any form of intervention in Philippine affairs; and

WE assert that the path to true and lasting peace is one that addresses poverty and the historical injustices against an oppressed people.

CONVENORS

Zenaida Quezon Avancena

Ma. Socorro Diokno

Atty. Corazon Fabros

Professor Roland Simbulan

Former Senator Wigberto Tanada

INDIVIDUALS

Former Senate President Jovito Salonga

Univ.of the Philippines President Francisco Nemenzo

Fr. Robert Reyes

Gary Granada

Renan Dalisay

Noel Cabangon

Bayang Barrios

POLITICAL GROUPS/BLOCS

Akbayan Citizen's Action Party (AKBAYAN!)

Alab Katipunan

Bukluran Para sa Ikauunlad ng Sosyalistang Isip at Gawa (BISIG)

KALAYAAN

Kilusang Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD)

Padayon

Sanlakas

Sosyalistang Partido sa Paggawa (SPP)

COALITIONS

Peace Camp

Coalition for Peace

Council for National Freedom and Democratic Rights

Ugnayan ng mga Nagkakaisa at Nagsasariling Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (UNORKA)

NONGOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATIONS

Agrarian Justice Foundation,

Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL),

Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Kabataan (ANK),

Aniban ng mga Manggagawa at Magsasaka sa Niyugan (AMMaNI),

Philippine Greens,

Artists for the Environment,

Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP),

Bangsamoro People's Consultative Congress,

Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition,

Ateneo Human Rights Center,

Bukluran ng Malayang Magbubukid,

Catholic Relief Services,

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development,

Coconut Industry Reform Movement,

Concerned Christians for Social Transformation,

Constitutional Convention Association,

Empowering Civic Participation in Governance,

Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance,

Freedom from Debt Coalition,

Cavite Green Coalition,

Philippine Peace and Solidarity Council,

Free Legal Assistance Group,

Hope for Change,

Hukbalahap Veterans Association,

GOMBURZA,

Interreligious Dialogue Program,

Institute for Popular Democracy,

IPDS,

Justice and Peace Integrity of Creation,

Prelature of Isabela,

Pakigdait,

Peace Advocates of Zamboanga,

Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan-All Filipino Democratic Movement,

KAALAGAD Katipunang Kristiyano,

Kalimudan,

Kalipunan ng mga Maliliit na Magniniyog sa Pilipinas,

KARAPATAN,

KASAMA Ka,

Katapat,

Kapulungan ng mga Sandigan sa Pilipinas (KASAPI),

Katipunan ng Bagong Pilipino,

Kadtuntaya Foundation,

Kinaiyahan Foundation,

La Liga Citizens'Movement for Renewal and Reform,

Makabayan Pilipinas,

Pro-Life Philippines,

PANDAYAN,

Mennonite Central Committee-Philippines,

Mindanao Interfaith Coalition,

Moro Human Rights Center,

Movement for the Advancement of Justice and the Rule of Law (MOTUS),

Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP)

Nagkakaisang Ugnayan ng mga Magsasaka at Manggagawa sa Niyugan (NIUGAN),

National Federation of Labor Unions(NAFLU),

Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK),

Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA),

PASALEY,

Peace Foundation Philippine Global Exchange (PGX),

Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas 1930,

Philippine Peace and Solidarity Council,

Philippine Peasant Institute,

Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM),

Pinalakas na Ugnayan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda sa Luzon,

Visayas at Mindanao (PAMALU-MV),

Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN),

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFD),

Tri-People's Partnership for Peace and Development,

Women and Children Internal Refugees Assistance Center (WCIRAC),

Youth United for Peace (YUPeace)  

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