Wars must cease and the occupied and dominated nations, populations must be freed! - NO to War Maguindanao and Cotabato

 

Kapayapaan Hindi Digmaan!

Wars must cease and the occupied and dominated nations, populations must be freed!

We, representatives of grassroots organizations convene the Network Opposed to War (NO to War) – Palestine Solidarity Pilipinas in Cotabato City and Maguindanao provinces today in time of the 160th birthday of revolutionary Andres Bonifacio (November 30, 2023) and the opening of the 2023 Mindanao Week of Peace.

 

We believe that ongoing wars in the world are not about faiths and religions but dominance and control over regional and national territories by the global imperialist powers.

 

The Right to Self-Determination of a smaller nations is again and again being undermined and trampled in our very own eyes at many levels, worst is the genocide today against the Palestinians by the Israeli State favored by the global powers.

 

Without recognition of the rights of national minorities and smaller nation’s right to self-determination and the continued assaults and occupations in the name of global peace and global unity, peace can never exist. More so, if these wars are for profit, control and dominance.

 

Experiences of the Papuans in West Papua, Indonesia; Tamils in Sri Lanka; Ukrainians; all First Nations/Indigenous Peoples in the world; and for more than 70 years – the Palestinians are concrete evidences of oppression and repressions against smaller nations and minority nationalities.

 

In times of wars, it is the ordinary people, working class, women, children, elders, persons with disability who suffered most. An overseas worker for example, whether the contract is finished or not, has to go home quickly for safety. Others lost their jobs due to the armed conflict because their employers lost income too. This left the worker and the family struggle with the implications, but not the war industry. This is aside from the footprints and costs of wars to the environment.

 

We see mass murders and global ethnocide and genocide against smaller and weaker nations. We’ve witnessed the same horrors in Mindanao as peace processes and the overall framework in addressing the national question is integration, exclusion, subjugation and marginalization.

 

Inspired by Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan, Mujahedeen and Tribal Defenders’ lives and struggles for self-determination, sovereignty, justice and dignity, we stand with all of the occupied and oppressed nations and people in the world.

 

We call on the Philippine Government to withdraw its support to Netanyahu’s government, instead take a side to the call for a permanent ceasefire and the end of the occupation.

 

The same call we express to the members of the United Nations to do by all means necessary to end the war and occupation and attend the needs of the affected populations both in Israel and Palestine.

 

To all progressive organizations, social movements, religious denominations and democratic forces, stand against injustices, inequality and militarism and in all available forms show solidarity in the struggle of the Palestinians and all occupied and oppressed nations to live and celebrate freedom, justice and dignity.

 

From Mindanao to the Rivers and the Seas, Free Palestine and all oppressed nations, class and genders!

 

Network Opposed to War (NO to War) – Palestine Solidarity Pilipinas

Cotabato City and Maguidanao / November 30, 2023