The idea of terrorism is extended to several forms of social fight and protest. Dissident political and trade union opinions become criminalized. An environment movement such as Greenpeace or animal rights activist is even prosecuted as terrorist in some countries. Lawyer Raf Jespers of the Progressive Lawyers Network, Belgium, made these arguments during a forum of international lawyers in Davao City last month.
The University of the Philippines (UP) as the premier academic institution in the country remains one of the bulwarks of academic freedom. But its students are being harassed and military and police forces are intensifying surveillance operations inside the campus. Reyna Mae Tabbada reports for Bulatlat.
Both the Democrats and Republicans come from the same corporate elite which exerts a strong influence on U.S. foreign policy. They may differ on some domestic issues but they are of the same mold with regard to America?s global trade, investment and security objectives.
The result of the U.S. midterm elections is not so much a vote for the Democrats although it catapulted them to the majority position after 14 years. It is more of an indictment of the Bush administration, specifically its policy on Iraq and the war on terror, its incompetence in managing the disaster caused by Katrina, the increase in costs of health services, and corruption.
(more…)
A prestigious Swiss development organization protested last week the Nov. 4 abduction of Lourilie Naiz and Mary Bernadette Solitario, staff workers of the Disaster Response Center Inc. (DIRECT) while on field work in Tulunan, North Cotabato. Soldiers from the 27th and 39th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army allegedly detained and interrogated the two women, and ordered them to strip. D.L. Mondelo of Bulatlat reports from Amsterdam.